Art Of Life
by EmoSasuChan
Summary: Sasuke could always count only on himself. Objecting his parents will, he decided to pursuit his dreams and concentrate on achieving success. But what will he choose in the end? Career or love?
1. Art Of Existence

**"****Art Of Life"**

**Summary: **Sasuke could always count only on himself. Objecting his parents will, he decided to pursuit his dreams and concentrate on achieving success. But what will he choose in the end? Career or love?

**Genre:** Romance/Angst

**Rated: **M

**Warnings: **Yaoi. Incest. Lemons.

**Pairings:** Sasuke (26) x Itachi (29); Naruto (26) x Sai (26); one-sided Suigetsu (19) x Sasuke; Naruto x Sasuke (only in the past).

**Disclaimer:** I do not own Naruto. Unfortunately.

**"****Art Of Existence****"**

**CHAPTER 1**

I groaned as I heard the alarm clock. God, I was exhausted. Just how many hours did I sleep anyway? Four, three? Damn those projects which I had to finish for today…

Rubbing my eyes sleepily I yawned and turned on my back, deciding that I had to get up sooner or later. However, there was one thing that kept bothering me... I looked to my right.

"Hey there." Suigetsu. I narrowed my eyes instantly and sat on the bed abruptly.

"What _the fuck_ are you doing here?" I asked, anger clearly present in my voice. "Didn't I tell you to get the hell out of my apartment after we had sex last night?" Suigetsu just rolled his eyes trying to be playful as usual. He didn't get the fucking message. He _never_ did.

"Oh come on Sasuke, you always say this—"

"I _know_ I always say this, because I always _mean_ it. But you never care to listen to me! Get the fuck out of here _now_!" I almost screamed. He shouldn't be fucking with me. He knew the goddamn rules.

Suigetsu looked at me for the second longer debating with himself whether he should leave or try me some more. Finally my pissed look won and he sighed in defeat, getting up from the bed and gathering his things.

"Well, see you on Saturday then." He said and left without another word.

I sighed deeply, putting my head on my hand. What a _great_ way to start the day. Why did he always had to act this way? He knew that whether we had sex, he was supposed to leave _right after_ it. He never did though. I think he always believed that with time those meetings would turn into something more than fulfilling our needs and urges, into a real relationship. Too bad. I didn't have time for things like that. Nor did I like him in some special way. Actually I didn't like him at all. He was just good looking and was great in bed.

I got up from my bed as I had to get ready to work. After I took bath I went back to my bedroom and tried to figure out what to wear. As far as I remembered I didn't have any important meetings today so I settled for dark grey jeans and black, long-sleeved shirt. Being all dressed, I headed to the kitchen.

When I finished making breakfast I went to my corner-couch and sat on it watching TV. I had quite big apartment. Especially for someone my age. It had three rooms plus kitchen, bathroom and hall and was furnished in very good taste. Well, seeing as I'm the absolvent of the Art Academy it couldn't be any other way.

Anyway, my apartment looked something like this: after entering, you found yourself in an average size hall with big, three-door dark brown closet on your right and doors to the living room on your left. After going through that door, you were in the big, square living room. If you would turn to your right and look directly at the window and balcony door that were on the opposite wall, you'd have a kitchen on your left, dining table with chairs also on the left but in the opposite corner and leather corner-couch with small coffee table and big, plasma TV on your right. Next to the TV corner was a corridor. If you'd go into that corridor, you would have door to my study room on your left, door to my bedroom in front of you and door to the bathroom on your right.

My whole apartment was painted in beige/ crème colour, not counting walls in my kitchen which had dark red bricks on them. Floors were made from light brown, almost white wood. Kitchen cupboards, dining table, chairs and coffee table were dark brown, while corner-couch was beige. Aside from that I had several big brown pillows on the floor near the coffee table, since I often liked to lay on the floor and watch TV.

My study room was also decorated in the same colours. In the far, left corner stood big desk with two computers, one stationary and one laptop, as well as other electronic devices like printer, scanner and tablet, that I used to work. Besides that, I had many shelves with books on the every wall and two, very comfortable beige armchairs, on which I often sat and thought about my projects. Other than that, you could find many pencils, brushes, boxes with paint, stocks of paper and other things like that all over the room, as well as two easels in different sizes. This room was like my atelier as well.

Bedroom had also dark brown furniture and light walls and floor. Right in front of the door stood my big, king size bed with brown sheets and many pillows. On both of the sides of the bed were small tables with Japanese-style lamps. On the left was big, four-door closet, and on the right door to the bathroom. There also was a TV on the dresser that stood in front of the bed, right next to the door.

In general, my apartment was decorated in Japanese-style. Modern and simple. Minimalism in one word. All lamps were from light beige paper, carpets plain but comfortable. I also had many big vases, mostly with tall, desiccated bamboo. On walls you could see paintings, mostly Gustav Klimt and some traditional Japanese paintings, like calligraphy or Hokusai.

Quite much as for a twenty-six year old man. Well, it's not like I bought it. Everything I had, except for my black Mitsubishi Eclipse which I won in an art contest, I owed my mother. Not my parents. Only my mother.

Of course it's not that I didn't have both parents. I did. Except that my dad didn't speak to me for the last five years. And why is that? Because I chose to pursuit my dreams instead of his, that's why.

I snarled as I started to think about my 'family'. This was never a good subjects to dwell about. It was pretty simple actually. They never really noticed me, never really cared about me. I was always left on my own. And when after high school I decided to study art, which was my dream, instead of going to some business administration university and help my dad with his company, I got disowned and kicked out.

It was mostly my father's fault though. My mom was against it, but she couldn't do much about it anyway. So, day after graduation, when I was nineteen, I moved out from our house having completely nothing. From that moment I could count only on myself, well, mostly. When I was submitted to the Art Academy I moved to the dorm near it and stayed in it for five years. I needed to get a job as well to support myself, so in the beginning I was working in the local restaurant. Around second year I was noticed by some Art Studio and hired there. They paid me quite well and thanks to the experience I gathered while working there, I managed to win a very prestige art contest. When I graduated on top of our year, my mom bought me an apartment and gave me money to furnish it.

Of course our father didn't know about that. She managed to take all those money and give them to me without him noticing a thing. Yeah, we were that rich actually.

And now, now I was working in my own Art Studio 'Hebi'. Well, maybe it wasn't only mine, since I opened it together with my two and only friends, Naruto and Sai. We specialized in organizing art exhibitions and other cultural events. We also had drawing and photography curses together with lectures about history of art. We often made internet sites and commercials as well. Because, you see, it's not enough to be good in one thing in today's world. I was an artist, I knew how to paint and draw and was very good at it, but I also learned a great deal about computer graphics. You never know what will be useful.

Well, that's how my life looked like. It was work, work and once again work from dawn to dusk. I couldn't complain though. This was what I wanted. And I wanted success. I loved my work. My art was my passion, the greatest thing in my life. I didn't care about anything else, I was ready to do anything to achieve what I wanted. Because, all in all, what else did I have?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I parked my car in front of the building, grabbed my briefcase with projects and went to open the Studio. Of course I was first there, as always.

When I entered, I went through the main halls which were currently decorated with mine and Sai's paintings, as well as Naruto's photographs and reached our office, which were on the back, just next to the classrooms.

I dropped my things near my desk and went to clean the classrooms, like on every Monday morning. There always was a mess after the weekend. Entering the room, I grabbed the broom and started to sweep the floor. No matter how many times we told those people not to sharpen their pencils right on the floor, they still did it.

I sighed, doing my chores. Sometimes I wished I could just kick out some of them. Too bad they paid for our living. Or at least tell them that they completely sucked and should find something other to do. Because honestly, there were few people that had talent and worked hard. Like Suigetsu. He was one of our students, and very gifted at that. But some of those people weren't cut out for this completely. Sometimes I wonder how come they never noticed this. Or maybe they did. They just didn't have any other ideas for life and didn't want to admit defeat.

Somewhere in the middle of placing chairs in the even rows, I heard some noises coming from hall. Few seconds later, Naruto and Sai entered classroom I was currently cleaning.

"Hey Sasuke!" Naruto greeted me with a big smile on his lips, Sai just nodded. I nodded as well and went back to work.

"Wow, you're fast, it's only 8.15 and you almost cleaned it already." He said coming my way.

"That's because I was here early."

"You're _always_ here early. Don't you want to sleep a little longer? Seriously…" Naruto grunted and started to help me with chairs. Sai stayed at the front and gathered all papers and xero copies we used on the last lesson.

"You finished the project, right?" He asked in his usual neutral but not unpleasant tone.

"Yeah. This night. It's in the office." I answered him simply.

"Ok. I better get ready before going to the meeting." Sai said and left the room. Sai was always the one that went to the meetings with our clients. He was the best at it. I always scared everyone away and Naruto was too carefree to talk about concretes. Sai however was nice, smiling and open or at least acted like that in front of the other people. In reality he was perverted, smug and even unpleasant. But I liked him anyway. Even though he was sometimes very false and unnatural, he did understand other people very well and could be extremely honest and blunt with his thoughts.

After we finished cleaning all of our classrooms, Naruto and I joined Sai in the office, who was currently looking through my work. He was already dressed in formal clothes. Black trousers and black, bottom up shirt. He looked very good I must say. Well, maybe that's because I was similar to him. Both of us had very pale skin, dark eyes and black hair. Our facial expression, or rather lack of it, was similar as well. Only Naruto stood out in our trio with his tan skin, blond hair, blue eyes and big smile on his lips. Which doesn't mean he wasn't attractive. He was. Extremely.

I knew Naruto since primary school. From that time we've been always together, Sai joined us on the university. Every one of us was different from another, but somehow we just suited together. Maybe it was passion for art that united us. It didn't matter though. We worked together perfectly, and that's all that counted.

Sometime later, when Sai left with projects to meet our client, I still sat at my desk doing paper work and Naruto was searching something in the internet. That was my part of the obligations anyway. While Sai represented us in front of our clients, I took care of boring things like taxes and organization in general. Naruto was responsible for making our courses more interesting. Of course we switched places or took care of some things together. But that's how it looked like most of the time.

"Uchiha Sasuke, Hebi Studio, how can I help you?" I asked, picking up the phone. I listened to the person on the other side and rolled my eyes a little. Really, I couldn't believe some people. "Yes, of course. You can still join. You'll find the list of necessary items on our website. Yes. Yes, see you on Saturday. Bye." I hung up and sighed.

"More people interested in joining our course?" Naruto asked looking at me and with raised eyebrow.

"Yeah. I can't believe them. It's almost two months since we started. Just how much retarded you have to be to _not_ know when school year starts."

"Come on Sasuke, not everyone knows what they want to do in their life. And besides, they _do _pay us, be grateful they keep coming on and on."

"Well, I'm wondering just how much more of them will come. We've practically run out of places, both Saturday groups are full."

"Oh well, we will figure something out… Hi Sai!" Naruto turned towards the door when he heard someone coming in.

"Hi." Sai greeted back, headed towards Naruto, leaned down a little and kissed him on the lips quickly. I winced slightly and looked away. Yes, Sai and Naruto were together since the second year of the university, it will be five years now.

"So, how did it go?" I asked, staring at my computer screen.

"Very good. He was delighted with your projects and the general idea. He is waiting for more of course. Great job, Sasuke."

"How much time do I have?"

"One week. I've made you notes on what he expects specifically, they are in the folder." I nodded at that. It should be enough, if I get to work that is. It looked like another busy week was coming.

I stood up and gathered my things getting ready to leave.

"I finished all paper work, so you don't have to worry about that. I'm leaving everything else in your hands. Oh, and don't call me unless it's something really important."

"Yes, we know Sasuke, really. Stop worrying so much, we can do without you just fine." Naruto replayed, trying to reassure me. Whenever I got some important project to do I always worked at home and left everything else in Naruto's and Sai's hands. I usually saw them only on drawing course on Saturdays. When I got a commission that is.

"See you on weekend!" Naruto called after me as I left the room heading home. I just had to stop at the shop and then it was work all the way.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

Later that evening I was sitting in my study room on one of the armchairs eating Chinese food and looking through the notes Sai gave me. Soft music was flowing in the background as I tried to figure something our client would like.

Really, this guy was delighted by my ideas and still expected so much more? Clients were more demanding with every day, I swear.

I rubbed my eyes sleepily as I headed to the kitchen. I would make myself some green tea, go to bed and have a nice, long rest. Now I was too tired to think creatively anyway.

When few minutes later I was sitting on my couch with cup of warm liquid in my hand, my cell phone rang. I picked it up without looking at the screen. And regretted it instantly.

"Hello?" I asked in tired voice. There was a pause on the other end and I was just going to hang up, when a male voice spoke suddenly. A voice I remembered immediately, despite not hearing it for over five years.

"Hello, little brother. Am I calling you in the wrong time?" I closed my eyes and cursed silently. Of course he was calling in the wrong time. _Every_ fucking time was wrong for him to call.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Ok! Here's the first chapter! I hope you like it and can feel a different climate than in the previous ff… because I tried XD Well, if you can't feel it yet, you certainly will in a few chapters for sure.

Anyway, the next update will be…I don't know when XD Since I have to draw two landscapes…and I hate drawing landscapes… So it may take me a while… Wish me luck! XD


	2. Art Of Determination

**"****Art Of ****Determination****"**

**CHAPTER 02**

Uchiha Itachi. My brother. My _so called_ older brother. He had a nerve to call me. He had a nerve to call me after all those years. That was one thing you could say about my brother for sure. He _always_ had a nerve to do things.

But to call me like this. And _announce_ that he was coming to _visit_ me this Sunday. He didn't even _bother_ to ask if I had time! Gods, I couldn't believe him! He completely ruined my mood! It was almost my deadline and I still haven't done my project! And all because of him!

Just what made him speak to me so suddenly anyway? It wasn't from his own free will, I was sure of it. It must be mother or father that convinced him. And seeing as I spoke with my mother from time to time, it could be only our father. Oh, and there was this small fact about relationship my brother had with our father as well: Itachi always listened to what he told him. _Always_.

And that made me wanna puke. Although it wasn't always like that.

The relationship between me and Itachi was a taboo for me. _No one_ who knew I had a brother never _dared_ to speak about him in front of me. Because that would end in _not_ very pretty way.

When I was younger I was really close to my brother. He was the only person that noticed me in our family. No one other than him cared. No one other than him spoke to me. He was always there for me, always listened to my problems and tried to help me. He was very talented artist as well. He was marvellous at what he was doing and everyone admired that in him. Especially I. He was someone I looked up to. He was my model. He was someone I wanted to be in the future.

But everything changed around the time he was graduating from High School. He wanted to go to the Art Academy, but our father insisted that he chose Business Administration and helped him with the company. I thought he was going to refuse, since he was always so determinate and passionate about his art. But he agreed. This thing alone change my whole view at him. I was disappointed. How could he be such a hypocrite? He tossed his dreams aside just like that after sacrificing for them so much work and time.

But that wasn't all. He went to the university our father chose him and moved away from me with every day. After some time we hardly spoke or even saw each other. Whenever I tried to make some contact with him, even some small talk, he always said he didn't have time. Later he didn't even look at me.

When that happened, I felt like I became an orphan. I was always alone and didn't have any contact with my parents, but supportive presence of my brother somehow made up for that. And then he suddenly disappeared from my life. Just like that.

I felt extremely lost. Like never before. The wall that was always there to help me whenever I felt like falling vanished. And because nothing was holding me anymore I kept falling down on and on.

I really did loose myself around that time. It was High School if I remember correctly. I fell into some bad company, did drugs and was drunk almost all the time. Thanks to Naruto I managed to get a grip somehow and see what I was doing. How was I running my life. Beside him no one cared. But that didn't hurt though. The thing that hurt was my brother's cold look in his eyes when he happened to pick me up from the police station few times. Not that he wanted and was concerned. Because there was no one else to do it of course.

When I finally got my life on the right tracks, I came to certain conclusions. I had _nothing_, absolutely nothing valuable in it. And the only thing that gave my life _any_ meaning, was my art. I had talent, but this wasn't all. It's funny actually how people always think that talent is all that's needed. That's bullshit. You won't have anything, unless you work. Hard. And talent have nothing to do with it.

And I worked. I concentrated my every bit of strength on work. I've made many projects, attended many courses, took part in many competitions. I stayed late at night to draw, didn't go to any parties, didn't have any friends. But that paid off. I was always the best, everyone were amazed by my work.

And I decided to bind my future with it. I decided that I was going to sacrifice absolutely everything to achieve success and fulfil my dreams. No matter the costs, I was going to do what I wanted and no one was going to tell me otherwise.

So when my father invited me to his office right before my graduation and told me what he wanted me to do, I laughed at him. Literally. How dare he tell me what to do? After all those years of ignoring me. Who was he to control my life?

I told him so and day after ending High School I moved out. No one tried to stop me. No one tried to tell me otherwise. No one. Because no one cared. I was nothing to them. Loosing me was like loosing one of their maids. Easy to replace.

Did it hurt? Of course it hurt. Because, how can a child feel when he finds out that his parents give absolutely no shit about him?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

It was Saturday morning and I had to be in a studio in one hour to give Sai my projects. The deadline was Sunday, but I had to deliver them earlier so he can look through them. Fortunately I managed to finish them. How, I had no idea. Most of the week I was just pacing around my apartment trying to figure what that _loving_ brother of mine could want.

I didn't get any ideas on that, but I got some on the projects. Although I was sure they weren't even half that good as they could be. Whatever, this will have to be enough.

I parked in front of our studio and went in. It was already open, meaning Naruto or Sai were already there. Or rather both of them, seeing as they were almost inseparable.

When I reached our office, I noticed both of my friends already sitting at their places. I went straight to Sai's desk and dropped my project.

"Here." I said in tired voice. Then I sat at my place, tossed my head back and closed my eyes.

"Oh, hi Sasuke! I just noticed you… Everything alright? You don't look too good." I heard Naruto's worried voice.

"Everything's fine." I answered him simply, not wanting to describe the details. My brother was really a taboo. I didn't feel like talking about him with Naruto. Actually I didn't feel like talking with him about anything.

Looking away from Naruto and his concerned face, I turned to look at Sai, who was going through my work.

"What do you think? Will do?" Sai was silent for a minute. Then he looked at me like he was thinking about something.

"It will do." He said in his neutral voice. "I would say that if I didn't know your true abilities." Now, that's the blunt Sai I was talking about before. Naruto got interested by his words and went to him to see my projects.

"Yeah, I can see that too… I mean they are good, even very good… But they just look different… I don't know, like you weren't—" Here's where Sai cut in.

"Like you weren't concentrated at all." Tch. Of course I wasn't fucking concentrated. I was thinking why the hell my long lost brother who forgot about me years ago decided to call me. I couldn't tell them that though. I shrugged my shoulders instead.

"Maybe. I don't know. Anyway, he should be satisfied, it includes everything he wanted." Sai nodded at that but still looked at me thinking about something. Naruto looked like he was about to say something, but we heard some people entering the building.

"Oh, must be our students. I'll go open the classroom for them." With that he left.

Our Saturdays looked something like this: from 10 a.m. to 2 p.m. we had first drawing group, and from 2 p.m. to 6 p.m. another one. And after that it was one big headache. There were about twenty people in one group and they _really_ could be annoying.

When most of our students were in the classroom, the three of us went inside as well. I sat together with Naruto at the desk in the front and Sai stood behind us.

"Okey guys, show us what you've done." I told them, sipping at my coffee slowly. When they started to place they home works on the desk, I raised my brow slightly.

"Wow, what happened? There's so much of it." Naruto noticed. They usually didn't do their homework in such amounts. Maybe it was the topic. Still nature.

"Yeah, real didactic success…" I answered him and class laughed a little. When everyone were done, they sat in front of us.

"Okey, let's see…" Naruto looked at the first work. "Whose?" Some guy in the back raised his hand. I didn't really remember the names of our students. I only memorized those who were talented. Which aren't many. And those who were very annoying. Which were quite a few.

"It looks ok, the proportions are well kept and perspective is quite good…" Naruto started looking at the picture.

"However." I said, taking pencil and starting to correct some lines. "This square here? It's lopsided. It's too tall about that much… And the edges are running away from each other, instead of getting together in some point in the horizon. We always tell you, _draw longer lines_, only then you'll see if it's properly drawn."

"Yeah." Naruto nodded. "But it's nice in general." After this one, there were few more not very interesting works.

"Oh, I like this one." Naruto said, when we came to the next drawing. It was the picture of some old, Japanese statues. It belonged to one of those few talented people we had. "It's very nicely shaded, almost perfectly. Just look at this. What's suppose to be black, is black, what's suppose to be white is white. Proportions and rest are great as well. And I like the general impression it gives. It's so monumental… Don't you think Sasuke?"

"Yeah. Although you should draw something in the background. It would look even better. And put some more intensity when you draw. Do it more freely, so it would look more… I don't know, more human. It's almost too perfect. But I guess I tell you this every time." I said and sighed, looking at the girl who drew this. She just nodded and shrugged her shoulders helplessly. Yeah, I know. That's just how she draws, her unique style. I had this problem as well.

"Okey, let's see what's next…" Naruto looked at the next work and snickered a little. "Is this BigMac from McDonald's?"

Class laughed and I looked at the hamburger wondering just what those people were able to think of. Of course it belonged to one of those students who always talked during lessons. Not that we forbid talking in the class. It's just everything has its boundaries and art needs peace. Or for other students at least.

"Man, it just made me remember how hungry I actually am… Anyway, it's good. I like the composition. Things are in the right places. Although this piece of meat here makes me wonder…" Naruto snickered lightly again.

"Yeah, to be honest it looks more like a rock than meat. It shouldn't be so angular. And this paper here? It doesn't look very real, you must work on that." I commented and corrected the drawing partly to show him what I meant.

Every beginning of the lesson looked like that. It was usually only Naruto and I that did the talking. I was always pointing out mistakes, Naruto good sides. Sai just stood near us during checking homework and observed. He took care of students that were behind however. And he was the one that made lectures about art history.

When we were done with homework, I explained the topic.

"Okey, listen to me now for a minute! Today we will start drawing nature. Naruto will hand you xero copies with examples of the most common trees. They _will _help, just make sure to use them."

"Exactly. We don't give you them so you can toss them somewhere. They are helpful, _really_." Naruto said as he went from student to student.

" Anyway, just make sketch of some landscape. We will then show each of you how to draw certain parts. Just don't draw any fantasy like spruce on the desert or things like that. Now, get to work." I said and sat on my chair. I was exhausted both physically and mentally. Not only I couldn't sleep properly because of thoughts about my brother but I had a hard time finishing my project as well. This was hell of a week. And I didn't even want to start thinking about tomorrow. Meeting with my brother was so much beyond my imagination capability.

First lesson went by pretty quickly, with me, Naruto and Sai drawing everyone trees, leaves, grass, rocks and other elements of landscape. How extremely _interesting_. Anyway, when all of our students left, second group started to fill the classroom.

Of course Suigetsu was first that entered the room. He looked at me sitting at the desk, _winked_ and went to his seat, unpacking things. When he was done, he came to my desk and sat on it.

"Hey Sasuke. Better mood today?" I just lifted my eyes from the third cup of coffee that day and glared at him. Why did he have to be so fucking persisted?

"I take it as a 'no'. Anyway, want me to come tonight or tomorrow maybe?" Tch. I looked around to see if anyone was near to hear anything. Of course no one knew about my relationship with Suigetsu. It was no one's business but mine.

"Can you keep it down? I think I told you that I don't want anyone to know." I hissed at him. "And no, I don't want you to come. When I'll feel like seeing you, I'll call you. And now go back to your seat, the class is starting." Right after I said that, Naruto and Sai came inside.

"Okey guys, let's see what you've got…" Naruto said sitting next to me and everything started once again.

Somewhere in the middle of the lessons, my phone rang. I reached to my pocket and prayed it wasn't Itachi. When I looked at the screen I frowned a little and decided to take it outside. After going out of classroom I went to the window and picked it up.

"Hello."

"Hello my dear." My mother. So I was right. Was she calling me because of that meeting with my brother? Don't tell me she's going to come too. I groaned as I thought about it.

"Everything alright? You sound really tired." She asked, concern in her voice. And I _hated_ it.

"Yes, I'm fine." I replayed, sighing. "I'm just tired, we've got a lot of work."

"Oh, just don't work too much. It's not good for you." I rolled my eyes. So now she was worried about me. How _sweet._

"Yes, I know mom. I can take care of myself just fine." My mother fell silent after that and I decided to ask her about the mysterious appearance of my brother.

"Mom, I wanted to ask you something. Do you know anything about Itachi calling me?" She didn't speak for a few seconds and I decided to give her some time to think. I wanted answers, God damn it, and I doubted I'd get anything from my brother.

"Yes, I know he called you… He, um…He did this because your father asked him, I think…" I could tell she was very uncertain while saying this. So it was just like I thought. Itachi didn't have a conscience after all. It was just because father asked him. Tch. What did I expect anyway? And why did I felt so disappointed all of sudden?

I got angry at the last thought. What was wrong with me? Did I really expected my brother to visit me because he felt guilty after all those years? I knew him better than that.

"Sasuke? Sasuke are you there—"

"I need to go, I have work to do." And with that I hanged up. I cursed under my breath as I put my forehead against the cold window. I really thought I got rid of those illusions long time ago. I had my goals and was concentrated on my future. How come I still couldn't let go of past? Why was it always there to hunt every minute of my life?

"Oh, Sasuke, here you are!" Naruto said, when he spotted me near window and jogged to me. "You disappeared for almost half an hour! Something happened?"

"No, _nothing_ happened. Could you all _please_ stop asking me this fucking question?!" I hissed at the blond and watched as the hurt formed in his blue eyes.

"Tch. I'm going home." I turned around and went to the office to gather my things. I didn't care that we still had lessons nor did I care that I hurt Naruto. I didn't care about anything besides getting home and being able to think peacefully. All in all, tomorrow was meeting with my brother. Just what was I suppose to tell him after all those years? Just what will _he_ tell me?

/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\

**A/N:** Ok, another chapter. Next will be about Sasuke's and Itachi's meeting of course XD And yeah, fast update… that's because I was writing instead of drawing…and landscapes are waiting… XD


	3. Art Of Regret

**"****Art Of ****Regret"**

**CHAPTER 3**

It was 6 a.m. It was six in the morning and I couldn't fucking sleep. Why? Because today was Sunday and my brother was supposed to be here in… like, nine hours? What the fuck I was going to do for the next nine hours?!

Okay, so first… shower. Check.

I got up from my bed, and went to bathroom. Nice, long relaxing bath is what I needed. After spending there about an hour and washing my hair I decided to get out.

Eight more hours to go.

Okay, so second… clothes and breakfast. Check.

I went to my closet and opened it trying to chose something to wear. What should it be? Something not too formal, but not too casual as well… Finally I settled for black, loose trousers with few chains on the left tight and black, long sleeved shirt with white design in the left corner that looked somehow like three commas put in a circle. After I was dressed, I went to kitchen and made myself something to eat.

Seven more hours to go.

Okay, so third… cleaning. Check.

Now that I think about it I should have done it before… At least before I washed myself and get dressed. Whatever. I grabbed a duster, then a vacuum cleaner. Later I put all dirty dishes into a dishwasher and cleaned the kitchen.

Six more hours to go.

Okay, so fourth… painting the walls? No.

What was I supposed to do now? Everything was ready. I sat on the couch and turned the TV on. Maybe I'll watch movies. I'm sure there's something interesting…

I sighed as I put my head in my hands. What was happening to me? Why was I acting like this? Like I cared. I didn't. I didn't care about that bastard who left me all alone years ago. Why would I care about someone like that? He was the only person I ever loved and trusted and he betrayed me. And for what? For something that wasn't even his.

Tch. And now I acted like I wanted to impress him. Like I wanted him to enter my house, look around and say that I did well. That he wasn't disappointed. That indeed I was his brother.

What bullshit. Did I really expect him to visit me and apologize for everything he had ever done? Did I really believe that he wanted to keep in touch with me and maybe even try to make it like it was before?

Did _I _want it? Was I really going to toss this hurt and regret aside and jump at the first opportunity he gave me to speak with him?

Did I really _love_ him that much after all this time?

No, no I didn't. I wasn't in a fucking denial either, the things he did to me weren't going to disappear just like that. If they ever did.

Suddenly I felt very relaxed and realized just how stressed I was before. Seriously, that wasn't like me at all. I never gave a shit about situations like that, why should I start now?

I rubbed my eyes, feeling extremely tired. Maybe I could take a nap for an hour or two…

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I woke up abruptly. Someone was knocking on my doors. Hard.

Itachi! I looked at the clock. 3 p.m. I slept for six hours, not bad… Another knock on the door. Geez, I'm coming already. Why doesn't he use the doorbell anyway?

I got up from the couch, straightened my shirt and went to open the door. Okay. Deep breath. The sooner it'll start, the faster it'll end.

I grabbed the doorknob and pushed the door open.

Itachi. He hasn't changed at all. Still pale, still with black eyes and black hair. Still with cold eyes and an emotionless face.

I looked directly at him making sure to glare hard. He looked at me with absolutely no emotions whatsoever, silence hanging in the air.

"Your doorbell is broken." I almost burst out laughing. Was he fucking _kidding me_? He didn't see me for _five_ fucking years, and the first thing he says to me is 'Your doorbell is broken'?

"I noticed." A replay worthy of such a question.

"Really? Then why haven't you gotten it repaired?" I looked at him with disbelief. Were we seriously having a conversation about my _doorbell_?

"_Because_ I just noticed." He made small 'oh' sound with his mouth and entered my apartment. I just looked after him. I couldn't believe this was happening. After closing the door with a small thud, I followed him to the living room.

Itachi stood next to the TV corner and looked around. When he noticed me coming near him, he pointed to the couch.

" Were you sleeping?" I looked at him for a moment not knowing what he meant.

"Oh…yeah…" I come to the couch and gathered the blanket. "Sorry, hard time at work…"

He just made an almighty 'Hn' sound and sat on the couch. I couldn't believe this bastard. Running a hand through my hair, I looked at him not really knowing what to do next.

"You want something to drink maybe…?" I asked uncertainly. God, if that wasn't awkward I don't know what was. Itachi then moved his eyes from the painting on the wall to focus on me.

"Tea." Right. Leave it to my brother to make a small chat. Even so, I went to the kitchen, glad I had something to occupy myself with even if only for a few minutes. While making green tea for Itachi and coffee for myself, I observed my brother quietly.

He was just sitting there, watching TV. Of course that wasn't what he _really_ was doing. I could tell he was _at least_ slightly tensed. His whole body was jammed, like he was ready to stand up and run at any moment if needed. He was fiddling nervously with the blanket that lay near him as well, although I don't think he noticed it himself. And his eyes had this foreign look, like he wasn't seeing anything with them at all; aside from that you couldn't read anything from his facial expression. Even this much wasn't obvious and you had to know him very well to notice anything at all.

When everything was done, I took two cups and sat down on the couch at the end farthest from where my brother sat. There was a thick silence. I wasn't about to start any conversation. It was him that had wanted to come and had some business with me.

"How are the things going?" I heard Itachi's cold voice.

"Good." Hn. I'm not going to make it easy for you, asshole.

"I can see that much." He said, looking at me meaningly. Okay, now, what the fuck was _that?_ Was he suggesting he knew our mother paid for this all? Even if she had… which she had, was there something wrong with that?

I frowned and looked at him slightly pissed.

"What do you mean by that, Itachi?"

"Nothing. Only that I can see that you are doing well. You must be very successful with your job…what's your job again?" I grunted when I heard his question. So our mother didn't tell him anything after all. Did I want to tell him? Ah, what the hell.

"I have an Art Studio. I opened it with my friends after attending the university." That should do. He knew what people did in an Art Studios, didn't he?

He looked at me for a second clearly thinking about something. Maybe he was actually surprised I managed to do something constructive on my own. Or maybe he thought that if I succeeded, then he had a chance as well… had, past tense. Now it was pretty much wasted.

"Hm. That's interesting. How much longer do you plan on doing it?" Aha. Here it starts.

"Well, I don't know. Probably something like… my whole life?" I said in the mocking voice. Itachi narrowed his eyes instantly.

"Sasuke, there's no need for a tone like that." Tch. I just couldn't believe him. He comes here after all this time and dares to lecture me? Seriously, he is unbelievable.

"Itachi. What is it that you really want from me?" I got him there. He didn't expect me to ask something like that. Although I don't know why, he should know me better than that.

"Straight to the point. Okay so be it, I'll say it directly. Our father asked me to visit you, but you probably know this much already. He decided that you had enough time to play around and that you should go back home to help him with the company."

"Excuse me? He _decided_? Time to _play around_? Go_ back home?_ _Are you fucking kidding me?_" I looked at him with disbelief. He couldn't be serious, he just couldn't be.

"Sasuke, there's really no need for you to use that kind of language. Listen, he only –" I didn't let him finish. I couldn't take it. I stood up abruptly and slammed my hands on the coffee table in front of me.

"No Itachi, you fucking _listen_ to me. He has no right, I repeat _no right_ to tell me what to do, I thought I made it clear years ago. What made him remember suddenly that he had another son? I thought I wasn't worth his attention for all those years and only brought shame on the family! He should be happy I'm out of the picture! I'm not going anywhere and you know what the best part is? He can't do a fucking thing about it." I said, well, screamed. God, just how much of a fucked up family did I have?

Itachi just sat there during my angry speech, looking at me closely. He didn't say a word, he didn't even blink. It was almost like he expected something like that…

"Still, he's part of your family, your father. You should at least see him –" Again, I didn't let him finish.

"He's _not_ my family! Don't _you_ get it?! If he was my family, he wouldn't do something like this to me! He'd be more interested in _my_ happiness then _his_ ambitions! How can I call someone who kicked me out just because I had different opinion than him a family, a father?!" God I was pissed. Couldn't they leave me alone? Was it _that_ hard?

"Sasuke—"

"And _you_! You have a nerve to show yourself like that after everything you've done! But that's just because father asked you, isn't it? And you _always_ listen to what he tells you! You even resigned from what you loved the most in your life, your art! And for what? For _nothing._ Maybe I don't have good contact with my family. Maybe I don't have time for friends and relationships. But at least I can say that I'm doing something I always wanted to do. Something I love. Can _you_ say that?!" By the time I ended my speech my voice was full of emotions. Anger, desperation and regret.

Itachi still looked at me without saying a word, but his face changed slightly. I could see a grimace, especially when I said the first three sentences. It wasn't very visible of course. It was small, very small. But it looked like I had hit a sensitive spot.

I breathed heavily as I looked directly at him. Or rather glared. He observed me for a few more seconds and then opened his mouth slowly.

"And what do you exactly mean by 'after everything you've done', Sasuke?" I blinked. He hadn't said anything about his work like I had expected. He asked about _that_? I opened and closed my mouth several times before I figured what to say. God, this day was turning even weirder with every passing second.

"What, you don't know? Are you trying to tell me you have no idea what I'm talking about? Or do you just want me to say it?" Tch. So that's it, isn't it?

I sighed and looked at him with dead serious expression. I felt very calm all of sudden as well.

"You left me." It was all I said. There was no need for anything more.

We stared at each other in silence for God's know how long. And I suddenly realized that what was supposed to be a dead serious expression, was a sad look in reality. A sad look with hurt and betrayal clearly visible in my eyes.

And Itachi just sat there. Neither his eyes or face betraying anything about his thoughts. Finally he closed his eyes.

"Very well then. I'll repeat to our father what you have said." And with that he rose from the couch, heading to the door. I just stood there in the same position, looking after him. That's it? He wasn't going to say anything more about this? Tch, what did I expect anyway? That he'd burst into tears and apologize? Come on, it was my brother we were talking about here.

When Itachi put his coat on and was about to leave, he stopped suddenly. Without turning his head to look at me, he said:

"You know Sasuke, you're right about most of the things you just said. However." There was a pause. "However you are wrong about _one_ thing. You said that I resigned from the one thing I loved the most – my art. It's true, I resigned from something that was the most important thing in my life and I regret it dearly. But that wasn't my art." After that he left.

And I could just stand there and stare at the closed door. Just _what_ had he meant by that? And why did I feel so guilty?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Their first encounter! Heh, there's going to be another soon… in the next chapter probably XD Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!


	4. Art Of Disappointment

**"****Art Of ****Disappointment****"**

**CHAPTER 04**

It was Friday, five days after the visit of my brother. He had not called me since that day, nor had my father or mother. Not that I was complaining. I needed to concentrate and work hard, since our Studio got an offer to organize an art exhibition. It was suppose to be on Sunday evening and came from the client I did the projects for. Of course seven days wasn't long, it was a very short time actually. We had to invite guests, take care of food and drinks, decorate the chambers, place the paintings in the right places and plan how the whole thing was going to look like. It was a lot of work for three people.

Since I had exhibition, I didn't have much time to dwell on my feelings towards Itachi after his visit. Of course I thought for a while about his last words, but I didn't come to any conclusion. I couldn't think of anything my brother treasured in his life beside his art, he didn't have any lovers, friends or other hobbies. So, not being able to figure anything out, I dropped the subject and concentrated on getting everything done on time.

"No, not there! How many times do I have to tell you? Put all the paintings flat on the floor one next to another!" I screamed at one of the workers who was carrying wrapped paintings inside. They arrived just a moment ago and we needed to transport all of them to the rooms _without_ having them damaged. This turned out to be much harder than I thought.

"Are they done?" Naruto asked, coming inside with some papers in his hands.

"Almost. They already filled another room, the one with modern paintings. You can check and see if everything is all right there." The blond just nodded and went out, passing by Sai, who had just come inside.

"Most of the invited confirmed their presence already. One person wrote that his partner couldn't come, but he would bring someone else instead."

"Hn… Hey, look out! It's not some piece of junk you are carrying!" I yelled again. Seriously no competence whatsoever, "I swear, if everything works out it will be a miracle."

"It should be fine, everything has gone smoothly so far, which is quite weird actually."

"Yeah. I just hope nothing extraordinary will happen on Sunday." Tch, right, like that's possible.

Anyway, after all the paintings were placed inside, we started to hang them in the right places. It took us about four hours, because _naturally_ we didn't follow through with our plan but made improvements and changes during our work. After we were done, Naruto, Sai and I sat under one of the walls and looked at our work.

"It looks okay. It's good we decided to hang that one there, it suits the other ones and is exposed in the same time." Naruto commented, handing us boxes with Chinese food that he had bought earlier.

"Yeah. Although I don't get this one here… It is supposed to be a woman sitting in the tree, right? It looks more like a crocodile that was run over by a truck…" Naruto snickered a bit at that while chewing on his shrimp.

"Come on Sasuke, don't you remember what our professor always used to say? 'Do not insult other's people art, everyone expresses themselves differently. Even if it's really worth insulting.'" The blond said, mocking our ex-teacher's voice.

"And after that he always added 'just wait until they are gone and can't hear you.'" Sai said, cutting in.

"Yeah…those were good times. Although we can't complain now either, if this exhibition works, we will be pretty well known, especially for such a new Studio like ours."

"Exactly Naruto, _if_ this exhibition works." I said. I had a weird feeling that something was going to happen.

"Sasuke, you're always so pessimistic. What can possibly go wrong? Anyway, we better get going, it's pretty late already and we have to be here tomorrow morning." Naruto answered. After we gathered our things and cleaned the Studio, we headed back home.

I entered my apartment and looked around. It was so dark, so quiet, so… empty. I dropped my coat and bag, went to the living room and sat on the couch. Since when did I care anyway? I liked it when it was quiet. I liked it when I was alone. That was the type of person I was.

So why did I miss someone's presence so suddenly? Contact with another human… _anything_.

I thought about Naruto and Sai. They were probably watching TV in their apartment right now, hugging each other and laughing. Just being together… while I was alone. I was always alone. But I thought it was never an issue for me. I enjoyed it, I really did. Or maybe it's not that I enjoyed it, I was just _used to_ it. Whenever I started to have thoughts about having someone, I just persuaded myself that I didn't really need it, that I was stronger than that, that I could do things on my own, that I didn't want to get hurt again. Because it just hurt too much.

I always repeated myself the same things and I came to believe in them at some point. Because if I couldn't keep my own brother around, how was I suppose to do that with any other person?

Yeah…It looks like I'm a pretty pathetic being after all… Heh. What an optimistic thought to fall asleep with…

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I woke up when I heard my cell phone ringing. Looking around I noticed that I was still in my living room on the couch and it was now morning.

"Hn?" Igrunted, picking the phone up. Just what time was it?

"Sasuke? Where are you? It's 10.30 already!" Naruto screamed into the phone. I looked at the clock. Damn! I overslept…and on top of that I was hurting all over from sleeping on that freakin couch...

Not wasting any more time, I hung up on the still talking blond and went to get ready. Seriously, it has been ages since the last time I overslept. Even if I didn't set my alarm on I always woke up at the certain hour. I guess I was over worked lately. The average time I've slept during the last week was three maybe four hours per night.

When I was washed and dressed, I grabbed some of yesterdays sandwich from the fridge and headed out. After arriving at the Studio several minutes later, I went straight inside, glad to see that all the paintings were still in their respective places.

"Hey." I said as I entered the classroom.

"At last! Seriously, what happened? It's not like you to oversleep." Naruto said, as he handed me a cup of coffee. I just nodded and sat in the chair.

"Yeah, I know. Sorry." I could tell that Naruto wasn't satisfied with my answer. His eyes almost screamed: 'Why won't you talk to me?' But I couldn't. I just didn't feel like telling him anything at all. Actually, when was the last time I talked with him like friends should? A few years ago maybe? I wonder… What happened to us? We used to be so close.

There was silence between us as we looked at each other. I with wonder, he with grief. But what could I say, really? Sorry I'm such an asshole, you should have known better then to be friends with me? He knew that already.

"Everything alright?" I hear Sai ask, as he entered the room and placed a hand on Naruto's shoulder. He immediately snapped out of his strange trance and looked at Sai, smiling reassuringly.

"Yeah, of course. Did you bring the book?" Sai just nodded and handed the blond the album. Then he looked at me. Tch, don't worry; I didn't do anything to your boyfriend. I said with my eyes. He seemed to get the message, because he turned around and went back to explaining something to the class.

No, I didn't have anything against Sai, really. Only sometimes I was slightly jealous of him, because he was able to accomplish some things I couldn't, some things connected with the certain blond. But that was all in the past now.

First lesson went by quickly and the second one started. When Suigetsu entered the room and tried to catch my attention, I didn't even look at him, I was so lost in my own thoughts. Actually I didn't feel like being in here at all, but I didn't have much choice, now did I? Those thoughts from last night were still bothering me, but thankfully Sai noticed my shitty mood and took my place in explaining things to the class.

Somewhere in the middle of the lesson I looked at Suigetsu sitting near the window and drawing. He was really handsome, funny, easy-going, open and honest. But I never really felt anything special for him. I just used him… not that he didn't agree to that. Before I met him at the beginning of the year, I had many one night stands. I figured that if I couldn't have a relationship, I could at least have sex as often as I wanted. All in all, it was a good way to ease stress.

Then I met him and somehow he just stayed for longer then one night. Not that it wasn't still only about sex, but why should I look for someone else? He was good enough, even very good. At least I was sure he didn't have any diseases…

I stood up from my place and went in his direction. Maybe this will help with my constant thoughts even if it's just a bit.

When I came near him, I looked at his work. Nice. However…

I sat on the chair next to him. Suigetsu noticed me then and looked at me surprised. He didn't say anything though as I took drawing and pencil from him.

"Look, when you are drawing trees in the background, don't spend so much time on them, it will take you forever. Do it like this…See? And make the background lighter, in greys. Expose things that are only on the foreground. Make them in black and white, so the contrast is clearly visible okay?" I said, correcting his picture.

"Ah, thanks Sasuke. I completely suck at this."

"Hn. I don't like it either." After I finished, I wrote something lightly in the corner of his sheet. I gave the work back to him and observed if he noticed the note. When I was sure he did, I got up and went out of the classroom, grabbing keys to another one.

I entered another room and switched the lights on. It was one of our classrooms in which we taught students that missed something, but was empty today.

Five minutes didn't pass when Suigetsu entered the room. I immediately grabbed his sleeve and pulled to me.

"Wow, Sasuke. Aren't you eager today?" He said, and put his arms around my waist, while I put mine around his neck.

"Hm… Have time to visit me today?" I asked, pulling him closer and nuzzled his cheek gently.

"Sure. Damn, you are so affectionate as well. I know you're off lately, but seriously, this is too much." Suigetsu pulled me even closer and licked my lips slightly.

"Am I really that obvious?"

"I don't know, I'm just saying that I noticed. You know Sasuke…" He stopped to bit my lower lip. "If there's something bothering you, we can do something other than have sex."

"Oh? Like what?"

"Well, I don't know…talk maybe?" I kissed him slowly, running my hands through his hair. Suigetsu moved his hand lower and groped my ass.

"You don't sound too certain about that, you know?"

"That's because we never talk. Anyway, I'm quite willing to do anything that will make you feel better, so just say so." I moved away a little and looked at him for a second. Then I lifted my hand and moved loose strands of hair from his face. I was pretty affectionate today, he was right. But it made me feel so much better for some reason.

"Really? Anything?"

"Yeah well. That's how your charm works, Sasuke." I smirked at that and he smiled.

"Heh. I think I'll stick to sex after all."

"Whatever you want." After those words, he moved close to me once again and captured my lips. I let him nibble at them for a moment and opened my mouth. When he slipped his tongue inside, I immediately took control of the kiss and he surrendered obediently.

"Mhm, Sasuke…" Suigetsu moaned as I moved my knee between his legs. This was getting good…

"Sasuke, are you here? I've been looking for you—" I jumped away from Suigetsu when I heard Naruto's voice. Damn the blond and his timing.

"What?" I snapped at him and he just stood there in shock. It took him a few seconds to get over it, and when he finally did, he narrowed his eyes dangerously.

"Sasuke! What do you think you are doing? This is one of our student for God's sake!" Oh great, so now he was going to lecture me. Suigetsu looked from me to Naruto.

"Eh… I better go back to class… I'll call you later Sasuke." With that, he left. After I was sure Suigetsu closed the door behind him, I frowned at the blond.

"So what? It's not like he's not old enough to have sex. He knows what he is doing! Besides I'm not forcing him to do anything!" Naruto gasped.

"So you are having _sex_ with him?" I rolled my eyes. Seriously, that dobe...

"Yes I am, so what? When _we_ first time went to bed together, we were _younger_ if I remember correctly. So I don't know what you are so angry about." The moment I said that, Naruto's expression changed dramatically, from shocked to completely furious. In a second he was right in front of me and grabbed my shirt violently.

"It was something different Sasuke. It wasn't just for sex, it was _love_. At least on _my_ side." He said through gritted teeth and I just looked at him with the smug expression.

"Well, you never know Naruto, maybe it's love at his side as well." Now, that hurt. Not the words of course, the punch Naruto placed on my cheek.

I grabbed my face and glared at him, as he stood there breathing heavily.

"What happened to you Sasuke? _What happened?_ You are so different from how you were in High School! You don't even talk to me anymore! And we are supposed to be best friends! Is this all because of what Itachi did? Well, get over it, it was long time ago! Shit happens, you're not the only one that has suffered in your life!" I couldn't take it anymore. I was furious as well now. How could he say that? He didn't know anything!

"What can you know? You never lost anything in your life! You never _had_ anything, so what can you understand about me?!"

"I can't because you're not telling me anything! And it's not true that I never lost anything! I lost _you_! Because whatever it was on your side, it _was_ love on mine, believe it or not! And I _still_ love you! Otherwise I wouldn't be able to forgive you for all those things you've done to me while we were together!" He screamed, tears visible in his eyes. Yes, we were together for almost three years. And yes, it was my fault our relationship ended.

"I never asked you to forgive me!"

"No you didn't! But that's what friends do Sasuke, they _forgive_each other! Why won't you get that?! Why are you so set on closing yourself off from everyone around you and being alone?!"

"_Because_ I'm always alone!"

"No, you are not Sasuke! And stop pretending all the time that you are!" I blinked. I just couldn't deal with him, I didn't know how to do it. This was too much, simply _too much_.

There was silence in the room and we just looked at each other. Suddenly the door to the classroom was opened and Sai came in.

"Naruto, Sasuke? What's happening—" His voice trailed off as he noticed blood on my lips and tears in Naruto's eyes. Looking from me to him, he went to Naruto and touched his shoulder gently. The blond turned to look at him almost surprised and wrapped his arms around his neck, hugging him closely. I just observed for a minute longer. Tch. Too much sentiment as for my tastes.

I went out of the room to the bathroom. After I cleaned myself up, I went back to the class, there was a lesson after all. I was glad that Suigetsu was coming later tonight. _Now_ I definitely needed to release some stress.

However, now that I thought about it, it was the first sincere talk I had with Naruto since the end of the High School actually. Violent… but honest. He was right, I really did choose to close myself off to everyone at some point in my life, but that's just because I thought it'd be better for me and everyone around… simple as that.

But it wasn't the right time to dwell on things like that. It was a _much_ deeper and _more_ complicated subjects and I _really_ had other matters to worry about, like tomorrow's exhibition. Be or not to be for our Studio. And for us.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N: **Yes, I know. There was suppose to be Itachi in this chapter. But it turned out to be much longer than I thought so I decided to move him to next one. It will be out soon, so don't worry! I've got everything in my head already, so I just need to write it XD


	5. Art Of Patience

**"****Art Of ****Patience****"**

**CHAPTER 05**

It was Sunday morning and I was sitting in the kitchen sipping slowly on my coffee, looking mindlessly at the wall in front of me. Suigetsu was long gone, of course he stayed for a night, but I kicked him out first thing in the morning.

I lost my affectionate mood after my fight with Naruto. Thoughts about our relationship kept bothering me ever since then. No matter how I tried to forget and explain to myself that I didn't care, I couldn't do it. The only rational answer as to why, was that I actually still cared about the blond…

And there was this guilty feeling as well. This guilty feeling I thought I managed to bury somewhere deep inside me all those years ago after I destroyed my relationship with Naruto.

I can't really tell why that happened, even after all these years. I mean I know why we _broke up_, that's pretty obvious. When someone betrays someone else, it usually ends this way. But I don't know why I betrayed Naruto in the first place, and with no one important to me as well.

He never did anything similar to me, he didn't give up on me when I fell into bad company and had drug problems. Never even once did he give me reasons to doubt his feelings; he was always there. Yet, I did all those things…

I sighed as I put my head in my hands. Seriously, _what happened to me?_

Maybe I really shouldn't have treated Naruto like I did and I wasn't talking only about yesterdays fight. Through all those years I completely ignored him and treated him like total shit. Truth to be told, he was the _one and only_ person in my life that _never_ left me, _never _betrayed me and has _always_ been there for me, and I just pushed him away with every passing day.

God, I was really an asshole. Maybe I chose to have career, maybe I chose to live only and solely for myself, and maybe I chose to ignore other people. But I should have never done anything so cruel to Naruto. How could I? How could I be so cruel? Have I really sunk this low? Jesus. Naruto was the only person in my life, that I knew for sure _loved_ _me unconditionally_. No matter how many things I've done to him, no matter how many times I've betrayed him. He never turned his back on me.

I stood up from the chair slowly. I needed to get ready to leave to go to the Studio, we had to be there several hours earlier anyway.

When I was dressed and just about to leave, I heard a knock on the door. Right, the doorbell was still broken, I hadn't had time to take care of it yet.

I went to the door hoping that it wasn't Itachi, I had had about enough adventures as it is.

It wasn't Itachi after all.

"Naruto? What are you doing here?" I asked, completely surprised to see him standing there.

"Hey…Listen, about yesterday… I'm sorry . I really shouldn't have said all those things, it's not my business anyway…" He said simply with his eyes down. I leaned my body on the frame of the door and looked at him in wonder. After several minutes of silence, Naruto started to turn away slowly intending to leave. I grabbed his sleeve and turned him around.

"Naruto." I said and gazed at him frowning a little, while he just looked at me with sad expression.

"What is it Sasuke?" His voice was low, devoid of all hope and strength. Was he giving up on me finally? Well, I couldn't blame him, now could I?

I tried one last time, pulling Naruto to me slowly. When he was so close that gap between us was hardly few centimetres, I looked him in the eyes with serious expression.

"Naruto. I know that nothing I could possibly say right now, can possibly make up for all the things I have done wrong in our relationship... but I'm sorry." Naruto looked at me shocked. I lifted one of my hands and put it on his cheek, stroking it gently. "For pushing you away when you tried to help me. For closing myself off., for ignoring you, for treating you the way I did for the last few years… and most of all, for the way I ended our relationship." When I finished, I moved my thumb over his lips. I had the sudden urge to lean down those last few centimetres and…

No, I couldn't do it. Right after I had realised what a bastard I was towards him and apologized… I couldn't destroy his life once again, I had to act like a grown-up and the responsible person I was supposed to be... anyway, did I really love him in that way after all this time? I'm sure I did when we were together, I just never fully realised that, but now? It was more like the regret of my past actions urged me to do it, not the real affection. Even though I regretted what I'd done, it was too late now. Well, that's what you get for wasting your opportunities. Humans are funny creatures when it comes to this, they always realise things when it's already too late.

I grabbed Naruto's chin gently and kissed his forehead. That would have to do. I knew that even if he said that he loved me, he meant that only in a friendly way, nothing more. He really had to love Sai, Naruto wasn't the type of person to be with someone without feeling anything serious for him or her.

I moved away from the blond to see his eyes shining with tears.

"Come on usuratonkachi, don't cry. It will only make me feel worse." I said with a smirk, using his nickname. When was the last time I called him that way?

Naruto smiled and wiped his tears.

"Teme. You don't have any idea how much that means to me… but you are _still_ a bastard." He said punching me on the arm lightly.

"Hn. I know, that's what I'm here for anyway…. Come on, we better get going." We went to my car and drove to the Studio, Naruto was chatting about something all the way there. I knew my apologies weren't going to erase everything I'd done in the past, but things were never that simple unfortunately. But it was a start…and I owed him at least that much.

"Hey Sai!" Naruto said loudly the moment we entered the building and ran to his boyfriend. Sai greeted him with a kiss on the lips and nodded to me.

"Hi. Everything alright?"

"Yeah. We have to start placing all the tables and chairs in their places, they will bring food in a few hours." When we were finished with furniture, food and everything else, each of us went to change our clothes to something more formal. Naruto settled for black trousers and an orange silky shirt that went together with black, unbuttoned jacket. Sai wore simple black suit pants and a black shirt with a grey tie. I chose black trousers as well but with a long sleeved, white shirt and black sweater.

"Sasuke! Our client has arrived! Can you go and welcome him? I need to take care of few things with Sai here!" Naruto screamed from another room.

"I'm on it!" I said, exiting our office and going to the main room. Our client, Mr. Tanaka if I remember correctly, was a middle-aged man, who worked for some big company.

"Good evening." I greeted him and his wife. "Everything is ready, let me show you around." I said leading him around the Studio. Throughout the whole tour his wife sent me suggestive looks. Seriously, what was wrong with her, she wasn't even vaguely attractive. No, I wasn't shallow… just picky. Every man _and_ woman went after me, married or not. I have to have some standards.

After I had shown Mr. Tanaka and his wife everything, the guests started to arrive. The official beginning was in less than an hour and of course it was me that was supposed to do the official opening speech. Right…

"Hey, Sasuke…" Naruto tugged on my sleeve, getting through the crowd of people.

"Yeah?" I asked, turning to look at him.

"Listen, I was near the entrance welcoming guests… and there was this strange blond guy, with a high pony tail, and he talked in a strange way as well, adding 'un' at the end of every sentence. Seriously, very unnerving—"

"Naruto, is there something more you wanted to tell me or just chatter about some blond guy you saw at the entrance?" I said, rolling my eyes.

"Yes, I'm getting to it, let me finish. So there was this blond guy and he was with someone. I'm not quite sure since I haven't seen him for the last few years…but he really looked _a lot_ like your—" Naruto didn't have time to finish his sentence, because Sai who just came near us cut in.

"Sasuke, come on. We are starting." I looked at Sai, nodded and followed him to the main room with all guests, not waiting for Naruto to finish.

"Hey, Sasuke! You bastard, you could at least hear me out!" He screamed after me, but I just waved my hand at him.

When I was in the right spot, I took the microphone and switched it on.

"Good evening everyone. Can I have your attention for a minute? Yes…thank you. So, once again, good evening everyone. Welcome in Hebi Studio, at the exhibition entitled 'Woman through the Centuries.'" I said and everyone clapped their hands. Many people were here tonight. I looked out at the crowd and my eyes stopped at blond guy with a characteristic pony tail. That must be the one Naruto was talking about.

"This is the first exhibition as well for our Studio and for Mr. Tanaka, who is the author of all the works you will be able to see tonight." I continued and everyone clasped their hands again, welcoming the main guest. I looked at the blond guy again, he was drawing my attention in some strange way. He was standing in the second row, smiling and talking quietly to someone. I moved my eyes to see the person next to him, but was only able to see black hair, as someone that stood in front of him covered the rest of the man.

"Now, I will pass the microphone to our artist here so he can say a few words about his art and himself. Later you will be able to walk around and see his paintings, they are in all three halls. Be sure to see every each of them. I hope you will have a nice time ladies and gentleman." Finally I finished my speech and was able to get the hell off the stage. When I gave Mr. Tanaka the microphone and went to join my friends, I looked once again at the blond guy and his companion. Exactly then, the person that stood in front of black haired man moved and I was able to see who it was. I stopped dead in my tracks and looked at him shocked and furious at the same time. I knew it, I just knew that something was going to happen. Just why must it be _this_

There, with his emotionless face and lofty posture stood no one else, but my brother. Itachi.

I cursed silently as I stood next to Naruto.

"I tried to tell you, you really should listen to me sometimes." He said quietly, leaning into me slightly.

"Tch. Just what is _he_ doing here anyway?" I hissed, still glaring at Itachi.

"Well, remember when Sai told us that someone couldn't bring their partner and took someone else with them instead? That _has_ to be it, otherwise we would have recognize his surname for sure."

"Just great, _just fucking great_." The minute I whispered it, Itachi's eyes turned to look directly at me. Fucking bastard. Why did he decide to come anyway? He must have known that this was my Studio, there's just no other way when it comes to my brother. What did he want to achieve by this?

When our guest finished his speech, I quickly turned to Naruto to tell him to take care of everything. I followed Itachi through the crowd, just as he exited the room.

Finally spotting Itachi near some painting, I went straight to him. Glad to see that his partner had disappeared somewhere.

"_Just what the fuck do you think you are doing here?_" I hissed at him quietly, not wanting to draw unwanted attention. He didn't answer or even look at me.

"Answer me, God damn it!" I said a little louder. After a few more seconds he finally turned his head to me and sighed.

"You really should work on controlling your emotions better, Sasuke. You're disturbing other guests." Was all he said. God, he was so _unnerving._

"Itachi." I growled dangerously.

"I was invited, what else do you think. The friend of my partner got sick, so I agreed to replace him. Simple as that." After that he turned his head again and I had the great urge to rip apart this painting he was staring at. Why won't you look at me damn it, don't you have at least that much dignity? Or do you refuse to notice me once again?!

"Tch. Since when are you interested in art?" I settled for sarcasm instead. Sarcasm was always a great way of defence.

Itachi looked at me again, with a cold expression this time.

"Sasuke, you really should stop behaving in this way. I'm here, can't you just accept that fact and get over it?"

"No! No I fucking _can't_! This is a very important day for me and my friends and your presence is ruining everything." I hissed. Okay, so maybe I over did it a little…No wait, why was I feeling guilty again, he deserved it!

"Well, I'm sorry, you'll have to bare with it a little while longer. If I'm bothering you so much, just don't look at me." He said, and I had this strange impression that his voice sounded a little, dare I say it…hurt? Come on, don't give me that shit Itachi. I was about to say something, when his blond partner from before came near us.

"Here's your drink Itachi, un. It was really hard to get, so appreciate it, un, there was like, tons of people!" He handed my brother a glass and then looked at me.

"Oh! I know who you are, un! You must be Sasuke, Itachi's little bro, un!" He said in a loud voice and grabbed my hand to shake it. God, what was wrong with this guy? Was he high or something? And just how did he recognize me? Did Itachi tell all his friends that much about me?

"Oh, I'm Deidara by the way, un! It's really nice to meet you, Itachi told me so much about you, un!" Okay... this is just plain strange. I don't have any other comment on this one, really…

"Deidara." My brother said in calm voice, looking at his blond friend. "I think that's enough. Let's see some other painting." When he was just about to leave, Deidara grabbed his sleeve.

"No, wait Itachi, un! I didn't even have a chance to look at it closely… and this one seems to be one of those few worth looking at, un" He added in a whisper and winked at me. Oh hell, I might as well go with it. It looked like Itachi didn't really tell him everything about our relations. Maybe I'll find out something interesting…

"You're right. You should see the one with the woman sitting at a tree. Now, if he wasn't drunk drawing this, then I don't know anything anymore…" I said and smirked a little when Itachi turned around and glared at me.

"The one in the main hall, un? I saw it! It really looks more like a crocodile that was run over by a truck, un…"

"Heh. You know I said exactly the same thing when I saw it…Deidara, right? You are my brother's boyfriend or something? He didn't really tell me anything about you…" I said in an innocent voice and Deidara laughed a little, punching my brother playfully on a shoulder.

"Itachi, you bastard! You didn't tell him anything about me, un! Nah, it's not like that, we just work together." So my brother didn't have a life after all. Surprise, surprise. "He doesn't have anyone, he gets so defensive when someone tries to get close to him, un." Deidara whispered with a playful smile, leaning towards me a little. I just nodded my head and looked at my brother with an even bigger smirk.

"Deidara." Itachi said in a dangerous voice, but his friend didn't pay any attention to him at all. Now that's interesting, someone was actually ignoring my brother without getting killed. It sounded a lot like Naruto and I, just a few years back.

"Hn, you're telling me. There was never anything but work for him." I said and looked at my brother meaningfully, while he just started at me.

"Yeah, I know! He always stays at the company from dawn to dusk, it's miracle if I manage to take him out somewhere, un!" Deidara said and looked at my brother. "You're such a killjoy Itachi, even your little brother tells you that, un… Damn, I'm so rude, drinking while you don't have anything, Sasuke. Wait, I'll bring you something, un!" With that he was gone. Well, I had to say, this guy was nice, even if a little strange. Just when I was about to say something to Itachi again, Naruto ran to me, panting heavily.

"Sasuke…Sasuke, we've got a serious problem…" He stopped suddenly and looked at Itachi. "Oh… Hi, I guess…"

"Hello, Naruto-kun." My brother said in a highly diplomatic voice. Now, I was shocked that he remembered Naruto's name at all.

"Anyway, Sasuke, remember that we were suppose to expose one special painting in the middle of the exhibition? The greatest one? Yeah, so it was supposed to be delivered in half an hour, by some special delivery company… well, they just called and it seems that they have got some sort of commotion and they can't find it anymore…"

"Wait, _what?_!" I asked, utterly shocked. This can't be happening… damn it, didn't I have enough of distractions already?

"Yeah…what's more, this painting can be in one of two buildings which _aren't_ close to each other. They don't know in which one…"

"_What?!_"

"Yeah, so we need two cars to go to this two buildings and find it _quick_…and we have only one car, yours that is…" Naruto finished and looked at me completely lost.

"No, dobe, please tell me you are joking! If we don't get this painting on time, we are _screwed_." I said, but Naruto only shook his head hopelessly. I sighed, thinking hard, we really had to figure something out…

"How about I'll go with Sasuke in my car, and you, Naruto-kun will take Sasuke's?" I heard my brother speak and looked at him in shock. Did _Itachi_ just _offer_ me his _help_?

"Tch. No thanks, we will manage—"

"Sasuke." Naruto hissed at me. "We don't have much choice! Do you want to close this Studio, because if _that_ guy finds out about it, we _really are finished_! I don't have any other opportunities as to what to do in my life, I don't know what about _you_." He said. I looked at him and narrowed my eyes. Well, he had a point, no matter how much I didn't like it...

"Whatever." I said not very pleased and followed Itachi to his car, giving my keys to Naruto.

We made it to Itachi's sleek, black sport car without a single word. We didn't speak for the first few minutes as we drove as well. Finally I got tired of looking at the window and curiosity took the best of me.

"Have you talked with our father?" I asked quietly, but it sounded really loud in the thick silence. It took Itachi a few seconds to replay. Why was he always doing that?

"Yes, I have. I repeated to him what you have told me." He answered shortly.

"And what did he say?"

"Why, Sasuke. I thought you didn't care." He said, smirking a little.

"Tch. I don't, I'm just curious." I said rolling my eyes and turning away from that bastard. Had he really thought I cared or had he just wanted to annoy me. Probably the second option, seeing as my brother _was_ a sadist…

"Well, he said that he expected such a reaction and that you will change your mind eventually."

"Fucking asshole." Seriously, why did he want me back so badly right now? I'm sure Itachi was more than enough to fulfil his ambitions.

"You know Sasuke, you didn't swear so much when you were younger." I looked at him scowling.

"Many things have changed, you know. I'm 26 now, not 16… Because that's the last time we talked normally, right?" I said mockingly. Itachi moved his eyes from the road and looked at me briefly.

"What else has changed?" He asked and I blinked. What the heck? I expected him to argue with me, not ask something like that. It's almost like he was accepting and agreeing with everything I said and at the same time wanting to know more. What, was he trying to get closer to me? What's more important though is if he was really interested or if he was just doing it because our father had asked him to? Tch, did it matter? I didn't want him in my life anymore…right?

"Why are you doing this, Itachi?" I asked anyway.

"Doing what?"

"God damn it, you know what. Helping me, trying to talk to me…our father asked you to do it, didn't he?" I was proud of myself that I managed to ask him that without shouting.

"No, he didn't. Can't I do something on my own?" He said, lifting one eyebrow. Well, I was shocked he answered at all, but this… So, was he generally saying he wanted to get on my good side again? Why? Why _now_?

"We're here." Itachi said, when I was just about to ask him about something. We left the car and entered the building. After we found the information point, I went straight to the girl that was sitting there.

"You lost one of my paintings, I would like to get it back." I said bluntly, glaring at the girl sitting at the desk. She blinked at me, completely lost, while Itachi smirked, standing next to me. I bet he had a great time.

"Excuse me?" Tch, stupid girl.

"Didn't I make myself clear? You lost one of my paintings called 'Woman in Green', that was supposed to be delivered tonight to Art Studio 'Hebi'. Someone from administration called me and said that it's possibly here. So I would like you to move your ass and check it out for me." The girl gasped. I was sure she wasn't going to cooperate…

"Please forgive my younger brother, he's very stressed today, Ms…?" I heard Itachi speak and looked at him frowning. He was leaning at the counter slightly and smiling at the girl pleasantly. She immediately turned her eyes to him and smiled suggestively and I just rolled my eyes. The old method of my brother…

"It's Yumi." She said and made, what was in her opinion, an attractive pose.

" Well, it's nice to meet you. Now, could you help us? It is very important for us to get this painting back, _fast._"

"Of course." After that she stood up and left to search for our missing painting. Itachi turned to me with a smirk and confidence shining from his eyes.

"Diplomacy, little brother, diplomacy."

"Sure. Whatever you say." I grunted looking in front of me. The fact was, I never liked Itachi acting this way around anyone. I knew that was all an act, but I was still jealous that they took my brother's attention that was supposed to be _mine_. Yeah, I was a possessive kid…and an adult as well…

When several minutes later the girl came back with the painting, Itachi thanked her and I called Naruto to tell him that everything was alright. We headed back to the Studio after that and everything went smoothly until the very end. The whole time Itachi and Deidara stayed somewhere near my friends, but I can't say I really minded that much. We didn't speak too much with each other, but it was just okay in some way.

After the exhibition ended and most of the guests left, Naruto, Sai and I had to stay and clean the place up, even if a bit. When I was lifting something from the floor, Naruto nudged my arm and pointed at the door. I looked there and noticed my brother and his partner leaving.

"So?" I asked Naruto, going back to cleaning.

"Sasuke! He _did_ help us, no matter how you look at it. You should at least thank him for that much." I frowned at the blond and was about to refuse, when he pushed me forward, glaring intensely. Geez, dobe…

"Hey, Itachi…" I called after my brother.

"Yes?" He asked, turning to look at me. I hesitated for a moment under his firm gaze.

"I… just wanted to thank you for helping us…" I said, looking away.

"Aw, your brother is so sweet, Itachi, un!" Deidara squirmed.

"Hn." Is that all he was going to say? I looked at him annoyed and then noticed that he was actually smirking with satisfaction. "Your welcome, Sasuke." After that he did the thing he always used to do in the past. He poked me in the forehead. I grabbed the abused place and glared at him. Itachi just smirked at me more and left without another word. I suddenly felt like the time had been turned back. Like we were still a normal siblings with a perfectly normal relationship…I frowned. Why was I thinking like that? Did I really want Itachi back in my life? What's more important, did he want it? Or was he just playing around for some reason and then he was going to leave me all alone once again?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Here… a lot longer than I expected… oh well… Anyway, next chapter should be out at the beginning of the next week.


	6. Art Of Change

**"****Art Of ****Change****"**

**CHAPTER 06**

It was Wednesday afternoon and I sat in our Studio, trying to organize everything and segregate all the papers, documents and other stuff. God, it was pure chaos, I swear...

"Naruto, you remember that you have to give that project of yours back in two weeks, right?"I said, looking at the blond briefly.

"Yeah Sasuke, you already told me that." Naruto rolled his eyes as he answered.

"And you remember as well that Sai is suppose to have a meeting with this guy that is interested in hiring us for making him an internet website?"

"Yeah Sasuke, you told me that already as well. Are you stressed or something, cause you're acting really chaotic lately…since the exhibition actually." I looked at him. Seriously, I didn't know what he was talking about.

"What are you talking about, dobe? There's nothing wrong with me." I said but Naruto looked like he didn't believe me at all.

"I'm not lying to you, really." I tried, in my most convincing voice.

"Yeah? Then what can you tell me about your brother? Why did he appear all of sudden?" He asked. I was somehow surprised by his bluntness.

"Naruto…" I started, but he cut in.

"Sasuke." Naruto said in a low voice.

"Naruto—"

"Sasuke." He said once again, frowning at me.

"Would you stop it, I'm trying to answer your God damn question!" I screamed finally, feeling utterly pissed.

"Oh. I thought you were going avert the subject." He said making a stupid face and I just rolled my eyes.

"No, for once I was going to answer you _honestly_. But there's nothing much to tell anyway, I saw him second time after those five years this Sunday. First time was few days before, when he visited me and announced that our father wanted me home. That's it." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"He really said that?" Naruto asked slightly shocked. I just nodded. "What have you told him?"

"That I'm not going anywhere, what else." Naruto lifted one eyebrow. "Alright, so I told him some more, not very nice things. Itachi just said that he would repeat what I have told him to our father and then left. Nothing more really happened."

"Okay, let's forget for a moment the fact that I'm angry at you for not telling me anything on such an important matter. Why the whole commotion?" He asked and I shrugged my shoulders.

"Tch, I have no idea as to why my father suddenly woke up and remembered about me… not that it matters, really. I have no intention of going back to the fucked up life I had before."

"Well, from what you are saying it looks something like this…" Sai cut in, previously listening to the whole conversation silently. "Your father always had and _still has_ some plans connected with you, but you were stubborn and decided not to listen to him and leave. I think he came to conclusion that stopping you won't do anything, so he just let you go being sure you won't succeed in anything you intended to do and that you will come back home eventually. But you are doing just fine and that doesn't go together with his intentions, so he tries to get you back in some other way, like using your brother for example." Sai concluded and I had no other way than to agree with him. Because what else could it be, really?

"Which doesn't mean Itachi is doing all those things only because of that." Naruto said and looked at me meaningfully.

"What do you mean by that, dobe? If he wanted to renew our contact because he felt so guilty about the way he acted, he could have done it years ago and not oh-so-very coincidentally choose the same time as our father." I said, scowling at the blond.

"Sasuke, it takes time to come to such conclusions and do anything about it, _you_ of all people should know that. At least now he had some pretext to start a conversation." I looked at the blond. Okay, so it took me five years to apologize to him, which didn't give Itachi the right to do the same…Okay, so maybe it did, whatever. But it was so hard to even imagine forgetting about the past and starting all over again… is this how Naruto felt about me after I apologized to him? God, it was almost impossible.

"Okay guys, I'm going to the class." Sai said, standing up and going to make his weekly lecture about the history of art. "See you on Saturday, Sasuke."

"Yeah, bye." I said standing up as well, it was the highest time to go home.

"I'll bring you the papers you wanted tomorrow around noon, okay?" Naruto asked as I was leaving the room.

"Sure. Bye." When I was finally at home, I went straight to bed and fell asleep immediately.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I woke up abruptly the next day. I looked around my bedroom sleepily...someone was knocking at the door. I looked at the alarm clock beside my bed. It was 9 a.m. What the heck? Who could be here so early, I needed _rest_.

I turned to my other side planning on ignoring the intruder. Unfortunately, when fifteen minutes later he was still there knocking on my door, I groaned and got up. Seriously, what was so important?

I walked slowly to the door, grabbed the knob and pushed the door open violently.

"What?" I hissed at whoever was standing there.

"You still haven't gotten you doorbell repaired I see." Itachi said, entering my apartment. Wait. Itachi?

I looked at my brother slightly lost as he took off his coat and shoes and went to my living room. What was going on?

"What are you doing here?" I asked, following him. He just sat on my couch and turned the TV on, acting extremely comfortably in _my _house. God, was this some kind of weird dream or what?

"Believe it or not, I have a day off." He said in a casual voice, switching through channels. I nodded my head stupidly.

"Aha. And you are spending it here _why_ exactly?" Itachi shrugged his shoulders and leaned his back on the couch, getting comfy.

"I didn't have anything else to do. I was actually forced to take it, so it was hard to find something interesting to occupy myself with."

"Right. You could have watched television in your home, you realize that, don't you? You didn't have to come here to do this." I said, not really following his logic.

"Oh well, it's always something different to do." Itachi said and looked at me finally. "You know Sasuke, if I were you I'd put a shirt on. You will catch a cold." I looked at myself and realised that I had nothing despite some gray tracksuit pants on. Well, I always slept only in this and I was too sleepy to notice.

"Whatever." I said turning back and going to my bedroom. After I washed myself and got dressed, I went to the kitchen to make myself some breakfast. I looked at my brother on my way there. He was still sitting, or rather laying across my couch, watching something. Seriously, I didn't know how to react anymore. Should I kick him out? No…that wasn't something I really wanted to do, now did I? I was actually curious as to what will happen…

"You want some breakfast?" I asked him from the kitchen. Itachi lifted his eyes and looked at me, slightly surprised I was actually being nice to him.

"No thanks. I ate at home, but I could drink some coffee if that's not a problem." I nodded my head and when everything was done, I went to sit next to him.

"Pirates of the Caribbean? Classy." I said, sipping at my coffee and looking at the TV.

"I never really had time to watch it before." I looked at him from the corner of my eye. He really did look older than I remembered him, still handsome and perfect, but older…like he was really tired. It could be clearly seen especially in his eyes, they were just empty. So it wasn't a big surprise that he worked hard, our father surly didn't go easy on him….but he didn't even like what he was doing. Then why did he decide to do it at all? He could do just fine on his own if he wanted, just like me. Did he really treasure our family values so much? No, I was sure he didn't… Then why? God, my brother was one big mystery.

"You work hard, don't you?" I asked, trying to sound casual. The fact was I was pretty stressed about trying to start a normal conversation with him. I just hoped he wasn't going to ask unnecessary question and would go with it.

"I guess you could say that." He said finally. "Father wants the company to develop, it takes a lot of work, really."

"It's not something you want to do, is it?" I asked directly. "Then why are you sacrificing yourself like this?"

"Because someone has to do it." He said simply without looking at me, which was strange, since my brother always looked at people while saying something so important. "Anyway, I don't have anything other to do."

I observed him for a for a few more seconds.

"I don't get you, Itachi. It's not like you at all." He looked at me finally, but his eyes were uncertain.

"Maybe I changed as well." He said, trying to sound confident, but it just sounded fake somehow.

"No one changes that much." I said. I just knew there was something more to it. Not only did I know my brother better than this, but also everything he said as well as his body language confirmed what I thought. I wasn't going to pester him about it however. If he didn't want to talk to me, I wouldn't get anything from him. No matter how curious I was, I had to wait.

"Whatever you say. Anyway, I need to work, don't disturb me." I said and headed to my study room.

A few hours later I went out of my office. Of course I didn't get much work done, I thought about my brother most of the time. I came to conclusion that I wasn't sure if I was ready to give Itachi another chance, if that was even the intention of his actions. But I definitely wanted to give this whole situation a chance, I wanted to see what would come out of this, what I'd learn about my brother and then decide whether I should give him another chance. I felt, somewhere deep down, that I wanted to get my brother back, I wanted things to be like they were when we were younger. But if the price of it was going to be the same as the last time, I was sure I wouldn't be able to pay it.

I entered my living room and noticed my brother still lying on the couch with a bowl of popcorn in his hands. I came up behind him, and placed my arms on the back of the couch.

"What are you doing?"

"Watching a movie." He said simply and put some popcorn into his mouth.

"With Ashton Kutcher? Geez, Itachi, just how gay is that?" I asked looking at him. It was a pretty common knowledge that my brother was gay, just like me.

"Well, I don't know. Why don't _you_ tell me?" He answered without even moving his eyes from TV, but I did notice the smirk on his face. Tch, bastard. I grabbed the pillow that was on the couch and hit him square in the face with it, while Itachi just chuckled darkly. I just shook my head. Seriously, talk about weird. After that I headed to kitchen…wait, from where had Itachi taken the popcorn?

"It's in your cupboard, first on the left." Oh, right….wait. Did the bastard go through all my kitchen cupboards? And how the hell did he know what I was thinking?

"You know, I haven't looked into that cupboard for over a year. It can be expired…than again, if you die from food poisoning, I'll have some peace _finally_." I grunted, going to my fridge and searching for something to eat.

"Heh. Your concern about my health moves me deeply, but don't worry, I won't die that easily. I still have things to do."

"Oh? Like what?" Itachi just shrugged.

"Like watching the second part of this movie for example." I rolled my eyes. Why was he so _witty_ today?

Someone knocked at the door, Naruto probably. I went to open the door and let my friend inside.

"Hey Sasuke, I brought you those papers you wanted—" He stopped abruptly staring at Itachi. "What is he doing here?" Naruto asked, shocked to see my brother spread on the couch.

"Couldn't honestly say…" I said with resignation, sighing deeply. "Anyway, show me those documents."

"Ah, right. Here. You've got everything there pretty much, I really don't have anything more to say about it. Just make sure to have a general project before the beginning of the next week, he wants to see it by then."

"Sure."

"Okay. I'll get going, I don't want to disturb you." He said and smirked at me, while I just glared.

"Dobe." I growled dangerously at my friend, who just laughed and left my apartment.

I sighed as I went to sit next to my brother, putting the folder on the table.

"Itachi, I'm hungry." I whined to my brother. I don't know what had gotten into me, but it felt nice in some weird way.

"Then go and get something to eat." He said, looking at me in slight astonishment.

"There's nothing to eat, that's the problem." I looked at Itachi pleadingly. "Take me out."

Itachi gaped at me for a moment. God, I loved to watch him being so shocked, it's not often when you get to see my brother like that.

"Okay. If that's what you want." He said getting up slowly.

"Yes, that's exactly what I want, now move it, I'm _starving_."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A few days later on Sunday morning I found myself lying in the bed on my back with Suigetsu next to me, lying on his stomach however. He came to 'visit' me after Saturday classes, we had sex and I let him stay for a night. I know he always did that anyway, but for once I actually allowed it.

I don't know what has gotten into me. I have been uncharacteristically nice lately… I wonder, was it because of my relations with my brother? There were so many questions bothering me all the time I couldn't really take it anymore…so I told Suigetsu everything. I don't know why, I guess I just needed to talk with someone, let everything out and he was just there. I don't regret it though, he was really patient when I told him the whole history of Itachi and I. I described how things looked in the past, and our latest meetings as well. I could tell he wasn't expecting me to say all those things, but was glad at the same time that I actually did.

"You know Sasuke…" Suigetsu said, lifting his body up and resting it on his shoulders. He moved his hand a little and started to play with my hair. "From the way you say it, as an objective observatory I can say that it's _painfully obvious_ that when he said that he sacrificed something else than his art, he actually meant you. Because there's nothing else he lost, right?"

"Yeah, I thought about that as well… But that just doesn't fit all together, damn it. Why would he sacrifice anything at all? If I was so important, why would he give me away? For what? God, everything he says is so frustratingly _not _helpful…" I said, sighing at the end.

"You seem like you care about him a lot, despite saying that he hurt you and stuff." I looked at him scowling. Damn, I didn't even have enough strength to deny that. "Come on, don't look at me like that, Sasuke. I'm not saying it's a bad thing. It's pretty cute actually." He said, smirking at me and I just glared.

"Say that one more time and I'm _so_ not telling you anything anymore."

"Okay, okay." Suigetsu rolled his eyes. "But you realize that if you actually want to get any answers you'll have to ask him directly."

"Well _duh_. The problem isn't in asking, the problem is in getting any information from him. If Itachi doesn't feel like answering, I won't get anything from him."

"Well, you won't know whether he feels like answering if you won't ask, now will you? Anyway, I need to get going… if anything vital happens, let me know, it's really interesting, you know?" He said and got up, gathering his clothes.

"I'm glad I can provide you entertainment." I said, rolling my eyes and observing him.

"Heh. You are always fun o be with, I tell you." When he was dressed he looked at me for a moment. Then he leaned down and kissed me on the lips passionately.

"Sasuke." He said, when we separated. "You really shouldn't push him away now, it looks like he really is trying. Everyone has the right to make mistakes, right? We are only humans and anyway, I have a feeling that if you won't give him a chance now, you will regret it dearly later." After that, Suigetsu leaned down once again and kissed me quickly. When he was at the door and just about to leave, I called after him.

"Yeah?" He asked, looking at me over his shoulder. I gazed at him for a moment and smiled slightly.

"Thanks." He smiled as well.

"Any time, Sasuke."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** I think I need to say: I really don't have anything against Ashton Kutcher XD So if anyone felt offended, sorry! LOL Anyway, Sasuke finally came to some constructive conclusions… in the next chapter he will find himself in very unusual, but still pleasant situation… XD


	7. Art Of Confusion

**"****Art Of ****Confusion"**

**CHAPTER**** 07**

"You're not serious."

"Yes, I am."

"This is some kind of joke, right?"

"No, it's not."

"Oh, I know… I'm dreaming."

"No, you're not…dream often of me, do you?"

"What?! No, you sick bastard!"

"Whatever you say, Sasuke. Anyway, are you going to let me inside, or we will continue this pointless enumeration?"

I looked at my brother standing at my door, with a _bag_ in his hand. God, this couldn't be real…could it? It had been about a month since my talk with Suigetsu. Ever since then, Itachi had kept visiting me at least a few times a week. How he managed that, was _so_ beyond me, but he did… which only proved, that he had been really trying. Sometimes, when he came over, we just sat at home, watched TV and chatted about nothing in particular. Sometimes we went to shop or to a restaurant together together, and sometimes he just visited me in my Studio.

And I had no other choice than to admit that I enjoyed every freakin minute of it. It was nice to have my brother back, simple as that. We didn't talk about anything serious and I never managed to ask him about why he resigned from everything and decided to help our father…but I was getting to it, there was just never a right moment to do that.

I sighed finally. What was I thinking about anyway? I couldn't kick him out, I didn't want that in slghtest.

"Come in." I said, and closed the door behind my brother. Itachi took off his coat and went straight to the living room, sitting on the couch heavily with a sigh.

"Alright. You can stay here as long as you want…just tell me what happened." I said, sitting with my legs crossed next to him in my favourite spot on the couch – in the corner. "Well?"

"Well… Let's just say I got into a serious argument with our father and decided it would be better to disappear for a few days."

"Aha. Right. And you argued about…?" I asked, encouraging him to continue. He didn't say anything though. "Itachi. Don't do this again…" I said in a serious tone, and looked at him. He moved his eyes to meet mine slowly.

"About you…" He muttered silently. I looked at him shocked. About me?

"What? What do you mean by that?" Itachi sighed and closed his eyes.

"Apparently our father isn't too pleased with the fact that I'm spending so much time with you lately." Was he serious?

"Okay… and what are you going to do about this?" I asked in a slightly trembling voice. He wasn't going to leave me again? He wasn't going to push me away now and walk out of my life like he did before, right?

"Sasuke, calm down…" Itachi said, grabbing my shoulders gently. I looked at him surprised. I actually said that out loud? Shit. "I'm _not_ going to leave you, okay? I regret doing it the last time, it's not going to happen again."

I looked at him. He was actually worried about me, I could clearly see that in his eyes and hear it in his voice.

"You meant me, right?" I asked directly, not really paying any attention to the fact that I didn't make any sense.

"What?" He asked completely lost.

"When you said that you lost something beside your art, on our first meeting. You actually meant me…" Itachi looked at me not knowing what to say. Finally he moved a little closer to me and rested his head on my shoulder.

"Itachi?" I asked after several more minutes of silence.

"I'm sorry." What?

"_What?_"

"I'm sorry." He whispered again. "I'm sorry that I left you… I shouldn't have done that… God, I regret it so much…" I was never so shocked in my entire life…I didn't know what to do, actually, I'd never seen my brother get so emotional before… Good my body had a mind of its own. My hands moved slowly and I put them around his waist, pulling him a little closer.

"You know, I actually thought it would be better for you if I did that… I was so stupid."

"Why? Why did you think that way?" I asked quietly holding my breath. I was going to receive the answer I waited so long for.

"I always knew that our father had plans towards us. I was sure he wanted you to forget about your art and other interests and help him with the company… so I figured that if I sacrificed myself and worked for him as hard as I could, he will forget about pulling you into this as well… I don't know how I could have been so stupid, but it looked like a good plan back then…" My mind went completely blank. Was he trying to tell me that he did this all just for me?

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked uncertainly and moved away from me a little when I was silent for a few minutes.

"You're an idiot." I said in a dead voice, looking straight at him.

"Wha—?"

"You're an idiot!" I said in a louder voice and grabbed his shirt violently. "Do you realize that? How could you ever think that I would trade _you_ for my hobby? You were the most important thing in my life, nothing else mattered! _Nothing!_"

"Sasuke…" Itachi gaped at me shocked.

"Never ever again try to do something so stupid like this, _you hear me?_" I hissed, hitting him in the chest with my fists. "I won't be able to live through this once again…" I added in a whisper. Suddenly I felt Itachi's arms wrapping around me.

"I won't." He said, and pulled me closer, putting his head on my shoulder once again.

"Promise."

"I promise." He said without hesitation and I believed him. Maybe I was a fool to trust him like that again, but I didn't want to lose him, I wanted to have him near me. _Always._

We sat like that for a few more minutes, neither of us saying anything. I liked that… I liked the fact that I felt Itachi's body pressed to mine, his arms around me and his steady breath on my neck…Whoa. Stop. Right. There.

I moved away from my brother and looked at him strangely. What was I thinking? God, I was really frustrated, I needed to see Suigetsu, _soon._

"Something's wrong?" Itachi asked me, immediately noticing that something was off. What was I suppose to tell him? I didn't know myself.

I heard a knock at the door. Thank God. I jumped from the couch and went quickly to the door.

"What are you doing here?" I asked, surprised to see _Suigetsu_ standing in front of me.

"I just came cause I had some problems with a painting… you said that I can come to you whenever I'll need help." He said and winked at me suggestively.

"I really said that? Damn, I need to control myself better…Come in. I'll help you but forget about the other thing, my brother is here." I said, and let him inside. After Suigetsu took off his jacket, he went to the living room and I followed.

"You must be Itachi, Sasuke's brother. I'm Suigetsu, nice to finally meet you." Suigetsu said greeting my brother immediately. After they shook hands, Itachi looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean by finally?"

"Oh, you know, Sasuke told me so much about you—" I hit him in the head and he whined.

"Suigetsu. Get to the point, what is this that you need from me?" I asked, slightly irritated and sat on the couch.

"Damn, violent as ever… anyway, I tried everything, but it just refuses to work out." He said, and took a big paper out from his case. I looked at the drawing.

"I guess this is a part where you don't know what to do?" I asked, pointing one particular spot on the paper.

"Yeah… I think about adding this drawing to my portfolio, so it's pretty important." He said, sitting next to me.

"Hn. Wait a moment, I'll bring a pencil and a piece of paper and I'll show you how to do this." After this I went to my office, took what I needed and came back.

"Okay, so this is how you need to do this…" I said, and started to draw. I showed Suigetsu everything he wanted and just when I finished, I heard another knock at the door. Sighing deeply, I stood up and went to open the door. Who was it that time? Santa Claus? Seriously…

No, that wasn't Santa Claus after all…

"Naruto, Sai? What are you doing here?" I asked, not so shocked to see them. It seemed that people just kept coming on and on…

"Hey Sasuke! You know, we figured… or rather _I _figured, that since we had so much work lately and finally have some time off, we can have fun and relax a little!" He said, and entered my apartment together with his boyfriend. "And since I know that you'd refuse to go out, we brought some horror movies, we will make a marathon, just like when we were younger!"

"Naruto, we are 26, not 15, we don't _do_ marathons." I said as I followed them to the living room.

"Come on Sasuke, don't be such a killjoy, it doesn't matter how old we are…oh, I see you have a company. The more the merrier! Hi Itachi! Oh and even your half-boyfriend is here! Hi Suigetsu!" Naruto said and waved happily, while Sai just nodded his head.

"What? I'm only a half-boyfriend to you?" Suigetsu whined playfully. I shook my head and sat on my spot once again.

"No, you idiot, you're not a boyfriend to me at all." I said and rolled my eyes. However, from the corner of my eye I tried to observe my brother's reaction to this, he didn't know what was between Suigetsu and I.

"Sasuke! How can you? Your words are hurting me." He said in a mocking voice. "Is that a popcorn you are holding?" I rolled my eyes once again and landed on the couch, sighing.

"So I get it that everyone here is staying?" I looked at Sai and Naruto, then at Suigetsu who nodded uncertainly. Then at my brother who only observed me with curiosity in his eyes. "Well, you're staying for sure."

"We established that much already." He said and smirked at me.

"What does he mean by that, Sasuke?" Naruto asked, frowning at me.

"He'll be living with me for some time now. Anyway, move it dobe and make some popcorn." Naruto just glared at me, but didn't ask any further questions, which I was glad for.

A few hours later, all five of us still sat comfortably in the living room watching "Saw III". Naruto and Sai were sitting on one part of the couch. Naruto had his head on his boyfriends' lap, as said boyfriend moved his fingers slowly through the blonds' hair. Suigetsu lay on the floor on his stomach with all my pillows. Itachi and I sat on the other end of the couch, with Itachi sitting in the corner and me not far from him.

I massaged the nape of my neck, I was getting quite uncomfortable sitting in the same position for so long. The thing was, I didn't have much room to change it. Just when I was going to sit on the floor with Suigetsu, Itachi grabbed my arm gently. I looked at him questioningly and he just pulled me to him, spreading his legs a little. Oh, now I get it. I sat between my brother's legs and rested my back on his chest, sighing. So much better.

Now, was the position we were in weird? I guess so. But I just couldn't bring myself to care… It felt so freakin good…

I drifted slowly to sleep with my brother's arms around me and his warm breath on my face. I couldn't remember when was the last time I felt so content…

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I woke up slowly the next morning and looked dizzily around the room. I was in my bedroom. I looked to my right. Suigetsu. Then to my left. Itachi.

Wait a minute… I sat abruptly. Oh, right. The yesterday's marathon… I looked at Suigetsu sleeping on his stomach and snoring slightly. Then at my brother lying on his back with one arm dropped loosely over his stomach. Nice…

I shook my head violently. I needed coffee and I needed it _quick._

I got up from the bed and went to kitchen, rubbing my eyes sleepily.

"Morning Sasuke." Naruto said, yawning and sitting at my kitchen table next to his boyfriend.

"Hey." I said, grabbing a cup and purring coffee into it. "How much did I miss?" I asked, sitting next to them.

"Not much, after you fall asleep we watched only one movie. Then everyone went to bed."

"Oh… How did I…?"

"Itachi carried you." Sai said, and looked at me seriously. "You got close together pretty quickly."

"That's good, isn't it? At least now Sasuke has some contact with his family." Naruto replied before I could do it. I just shrugged my shoulders.

"It's not about contact with my family, really. I just…wanted him back, that's all." I said and sipped on my coffee.

"Whatever the reason, the only thing that matters is that Sasuke is happy with things as they are." He said and looked at me, like waiting for a confirmation of his words. I nodded briefly. I was happy with the things as they were, right?

About an hour later Naruto, Sai and Suigetsu left leaving my sleeping brother and I alone. Looking at the clock and seeing that it was only 9 a.m. I decided to go back to bed and do completely nothing all day.

When I entered my bedroom I looked at my peacefully sleeping brother. Seriously, he was such a perfect being, how could our father treat him the way he did, like he was a thing, not human? He didn't deserve it…

I sat on the bed and covered myself with a duvet. I looked at my brother and without really knowing what I was doing, I moved my hand and pushed a few strands of hair from his face. Itachi must have felt terrible his entire life… Always misunderstood, people were either afraid or jealous of him. He never really had anyone. Other's always have seen him as someone, who could do many things perfectly… but no one ever really cared about his emotions or feelings. Our parents exploited him, almost like a tool, without taking even once in a consideration his desires and dreams. The only thing he ever cared for was me, but he lost that too, trying to protect me. Given all these circumstances, he was still able to think about me and choose my happiness, not his.

Suddenly I felt really glad that I gave him another chance, that I didn't push him away. His life was so much worse than mine, I could give him at least that much.

My hand moved away quickly when Itachi stirred in his sleep and opened his eyes slowly. I frowned briefly. What was wrong with me? What was with this growing affection towards him?

"Morning." I greeted him quietly and smiled a little, when he looked at me.

"Hn…" He answered and stretched. "Everyone gone?"

"Yeah." I said, turning the TV on and switching through channels. "Peace and quiet. _Finally._"

"Yeah… but they aren't half that bad actually, you know..." He said and looked at me, thinking about something.

"What?" I asked.

"You never told me you had someone." He said, observing my reaction closely. I looked at him, slightly surprised. Not by the question, but by his tone.

"Because I don't." I answered him simply.

"Oh? Then why did Naruto call Suigetsu 'your boyfriend'?"

"He didn't call him my boyfriend, he called him my half-boyfriend and I denied that we were together at all if I remember correctly. Geez, Itachi, why the interrogating tone?" He shrugged his shoulders and looked at the TV.

"Just asking." I looked at him for a minute longer and sighed with resignation.

"Really, he's not my boyfriend, we just have…" I stopped thinking about my next words. What will he think about me? Damn, it was too late anyway.

"Sex?" Itachi finished for me.

"Yeah…"

"You sound like you're ashamed of it." He said and looked at me. "I'm just asking, really. Not judging you." After that, he turned to the TV once again and didn't say anything more.

I don't know why, but I felt bad about that. Like he thought less of me now… I didn't want that. I didn't want him to think I'm that kind of person… even though that's exactly who I was.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Heh, Itachi living with Sasuke… only some weird things will come out of it, I tell you XD


	8. Art Of Insanity

**"Art Of**** Insanity"**

**CHAPTER 08**

"Mhm… No…"

"Sasuke."

"Ugh…"

"_Sasuke._"

"Ngh…"

"Sasuke!" I opened my eyes abruptly, and looked at my brother who was gazing upon me with worried eyes. "You had a nightmare." What? I looked around, it was still night.

"You feel okay?" Itachi asked and I looked at him. Yeah, we've been sleeping in the same bed ever since that marathon. I don't know how that happened, but it just did. Not that it was something extraordinary, we slept together often when we were younger.

"Yeah…" I often had nightmares, ever since I was a child. They were about nothing in particular, but they always made me wake up in the middle of the night with a fear. That was quite weird actually, I never remembered what they were about yet still they managed to frighten the hell out of me. I read somewhere that things like that are a consequence of feelings of insecurity. Well, that suited me well enough…

"I'm surprised you actually still have them." Itachi said in a low voice, looking attentively at me.

"I do… Sometimes." I added, not wanting to worry him too much. Of course it was a lie. I had them almost every night, but it was the first time in a week he noticed, meaning I wasn't always so loud when I had them.

"I remember when you were younger you always used to come to my room with tears when you had them." Itachi said smirking.

"Itachi, I was five years old." I said and glare at him in the darkness.

"You mean twelve, don't you?" He said, chuckling slightly.

"Tch, bastard." I turned away from him, on my other side. So what if I did it for so long? I just liked the feeling of security my brother always gave me…

"Come on Sasuke, don't pout." He said, laugher still in his voice.

"I'm not pouting." I said scoffing. Now I was sure he rolled his eyes.

"Okay, than stop brooding or whatever is it that you are doing right now." Itachi answered and moved little closer to me, so I could clearly feel his body pressed to against mine.

"I don't brood either. I sulk."

"Oh, like that's very mature." Now I could feel his warm breath on my face. I turned my head and noticed that Itachi was particularly hovering over me.

"You're invading my personal space." I stated glaring at him. Itachi looked at me with a serious expression for a minute longer and started to laugh. Seriously, what was wrong with him? Was he drunk or something?

Itachi moved away from me and lay back down on the bed. I turned to have a better view of him.

"You like to torture me, don't you?"

"I can't help it… You always get so defensive when someone moves too close to you… It's funny and cute in some way." What was with people calling me cute lately, damn it? I wasn't cute! I was sexy, gorgeous, the volcano of sex appeal… but not cute!

"You're a sadistic bastard, you know that?" I asked and observed him. Because he moved so much the duvet that was previously covering whole his body slipped down to his waist… and he didn't have a shirt on. He always slept shirtless, just like me. Somehow, I just couldn't move my eyes away from his pale chest. It was perfectly build with milky skin and clearly visible, but not too big muscles. It almost made me want to reach my hand out and touch it…

"Why, thank you. I appreciate a compliment." Itachi's voice made me come back to the reality. Was I just drooling over my brother's naked chest? The fuck?

"Tch." I scoffed and turned away once again, intending to sleep. I closed my eyes and tried to think of something else than my brother's _naked_ chest…

…the naked chest that was pressed to my back.

"Itachi." I growled at my brother. He didn't say anything, just moved even closer and put an arm around my waist, pulling me to him.

"It always helped you to fall asleep when you were younger." He whispered and fell completely silent. Yeah, it did in the past. _Now_ however, I tried my best to slow my breath. He would notice how stressed I was and ask questions… and I didn't want him to do that since, well, I had no answers whatsoever even for myself.

What was happening to me? I didn't really notice it before, but now that I think about it it's been like that the whole week, ever since the marathon. Whenever he touched me, by accident or not, I noticed it and felt slightly uneasy… but not in a bad way, it was always a pleasant feeling.

Maybe I was sexually frustrated? I didn't have sex or anything alike since last week… Maybe I just needed to call Suigetsu and invite him to come over? Then again, we couldn't really do anything as long as Itachi was here…

I had to figure something out, or I'll go insane… eh, _more_ insane then I already was.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"Wow, Sasuke, you really managed to finish this in a such short time." Naruto said, looking at my work. We were currently sitting in the small cafeteria drinking, well, coffee and talking about last project.

"Yeah… I haven't been able sleep too well lately so I had a lot of time to do this." I said and sipped at my drink. Naruto looked at me sceptically.

"Why is that?"

"Because I tried to figure out how to build a bridge that would connect Japan with the continent." Naruto frowned and I rolled my eyes. "Sarcasm. Geez, dobe, you're one big intellectual desert…"

"Oh…" He made an understanding face and then frowned. "It wasn't funny Sasuke."

"I beg to differ." I said smirking. Suddenly Naruto stopped glaring at me and went completely serious.

"Sasuke, how big is the chance, that your brother is trying to kill someone in the middle of the street right about now?" I looked at Naruto weirdly and tried my best to hold back the laugher.

"…Quite big actually." We looked at each other for a minute longer and burst out laughing. After we calmed down a little, Naruto wiped a few tears from his eyes and pointed something behind me.

"No, I was serious…" I blinked and turned around only to see Itachi standing on the pavement and holding some red-haired guy by his shirt. He was pissed, I could see it clearly even from where I was sitting right now. I stood up abruptly and ran out of the cafeteria with Naruto close behind me.

Just as I went out on the street I noticed some weirdly looking, almost _blue_ guy trying to get my brother off his victim and blond guy standing near the redhead, trying to pull him away as well. Wasn't it Deidara?

"Itachi!" I called, coming near. He instantly stopped what he was doing and looked at me.

"Sasuke?" He asked, shocked to see me there. Deidara, using the occasion, pulled the redhead away. Itachi immediately looked at him again.

"Tch, where are you taking him, I'm not finished." He growled and moved to catch the guy again, but his other friend grabbed his shoulder.

"Itachi, stop it. We've made enough commotion as it is and _your brother_ _is here_." He said, accenting the last words and looking at me. The hell? Was it about me or what?

"So _this _is your _brother_." The redhead spoke and looked at me in a weird way. Again my brother wanted to jump forward, but I grabbed him by his shoulder together with his blue companion.

"Itachi, come on. Whatever it is, I'm sure it's not worth it." I hissed, pulling him back. Itachi stopped flinging, but glared at the redhead. God, my brother was scary right now… well, the fact was my brother was a scary man in general. The way he acted around me, carefree and witty, was an exception _not _available for the rest of the world. Which actually made me proud in some way… Anyway, Itachi was someone that always got what he wanted this way or another. People were scared and listened to him, not without a good reason. He always glared and scowled at everyone, a deadly aura surrounding him.

Well, that's a good description of how he looked right now.

"Right Itachi, listen to what your _little brother_ says." The redhead said in a mocking voice and now I glared at him as well. What was his problem?

"Sasori, stop it, un!" Deidara hissed at him and started to pull Sasori away. "Haven't you had enough already?"

"Deidara, take him away. Itachi, calm down." The blue guy said and Deidara started to walk away with Sasori, who still glared at Itachi intensely. My brother looked like he was contemplating to jump at him once again but decided against it. He jerked his hand from his friend's grip violently, but didn't do the same with the one I was holding.

"I'll get him for this later." Itachi said simply, looking after Sasori.

"Leave it be, Itachi. Why are you so pissed anyway? Is this about that thing he said about you and Sasu—"

"Shut it, Kisame." My brother growled at his friend dangerously. The Kisame guy looked scared shitless for a minute, almost like afraid of Itachi attacking him as well. Well, I couldn't blame him, Itachi's voice was so harsh and firm even I got scared a little. If he was displaying such emotions, it had to be something really serious.

"Itachi…" I started and my brother turned his head to look at me, but it seemed like he preferred that I wasn't there at all. "What was this about?"

He looked at me for a second and sighed finally.

"Nothing Sasuke. It doesn't matter."

"Of course it matters since it was obviously about me!" I hissed at him. "What do you think, that I'm stupid or something?" Itachi didn't say anything at that, just stared at me.

"Itachi… I hate to disturb you two but we have to get going or we will be late for the meeting…" Kisame cut in uncertainly.

"Right... Sasuke… we'll talk later." With that he turned away and left. I just stared frowning after him.

"What was that all about?" Naruto asked, frowning a little as well.

"I have no idea…" I murmured. Had the whole world gone insane or was it just me?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

Later that day I entered my apartment. I headed to the bedroom and was slightly surprised to see a light shining from there. Itachi was actually home earlier than me. Well, at least I was going to have an opportunity to talk to him about today's incident.

I opened the door and went in. I spotted my brother lying on the bed with his back against the wall. He had a book in his hand and read it with great aggregation. I took a moment to observe him silently. He looked perfect just lying there. His black shirt clung tightly to his slim chest that was rising slowly up and down. Legs spread slightly, one bent at the knee, other lying straight on the bed. His dark eyes concentrated and covered with a few strands of hair falling on his forehead. God, he looked so willing, so…

I shook my head. Seriously, that was even more spooky then the incident with my brother this afternoon. All those thoughts I had about him lately… All those touches that lasted more than they actually needed… It was almost like I thought about him not as a friend or a brother, but as a…

"Sasuke?" I raised my head and looked at Itachi.

"Yeah?"

"Why are you standing there observing me?" He asked lifting one brow. I gaped at him. 'I was just admiring your perfect body'… just wouldn't do, so I settled for a sarcasm.

"Geez, can't I stand in my room for no reason?" I asked scowling and sat on the bed. "What was that whole commotion earlier today about?"

"Sasuke…" He looked like he thought about something. He didn't want to tell me the truth, I was sure of it.

"Don't lie to me Itachi." I warned him.

"He just said some things that made me angry, that's all." I rolled my eyes.

"_No kidding_. I figured that much, you know. What did he tell you exactly? It was about me, right?" I asked and sat fully on the bed with my legs crossed, facing my brother.

"Sasuke…" he wasn't going to tell me, I was sure of it.

"Okay, okay… if you don't want to tell me, I won't pester you about it." I said and looked away. I didn't mean to look like I was hurt…but I was. We talked about everything, I didn't have any secrets and he _still_ refused to trust me fully.

"Sasuke. It's not that I don't want to tell you or that I don't trust you." He said, noticing how I felt. "It really wasn't pleasant, but it's nothing important as well. Don't worry about it."

"Whatever." When I was just about to get up and go to the kitchen, something caught my attention. I looked closer at the cover of the book Itachi was reading. No, it couldn't be…

"Itachi…" I started and giggled slightly. "Are you reading a Harlequin Book?"

Itachi immediately looked at the book he was holding, closed it and put it away on the night stand.

"No, I'm not." Now I was laughing openly. God, if I didn't know my brother better I'd say he was actually blushing.

"Hey! Show it to me!" I said and pulled my hand out to take it, but Itachi grabbed my arm.

"There's nothing for you to see there." He said simply and tried to push me away. Oh hell no, I wasn't going to let it go like that. I'll be able to tease him about it for years! Such opportunities don't happen often.

I lifted my body and crawled to the edge of the bed. When I put my hands behind Itachi's legs and had him laying under me, Itachi grabbed me around the waist and pulled back.

"Oi, Itachi! What are you doing?!" I asked still laughing. He laid me on my back, grabbed the pillow and pushed it on my face playfully.

"You are _so_ not telling anyone about that, you hear me?" He asked, laugher in his voice as well. I moved my hand around blindly until I found another pillow. Grabbing it, I hit his head with it.

"Over my dead body. This is going to be a great story to tell!" I choked out. After I managed to push the pillow of my face I looked at Itachi and hit him once again.

"Take it back!" Itachi said and started to tickle my sides. Oh no. I squirmed violently… his secret weapon against me.

"Itachi, stop!" I cried to him, trying to get away.

"No, before you promise not to tell anyone." Bastard, a sadistic bastard, that's what he was.

"No!" I screamed clinging to the last bits of the strong will I had left.

"Promise!" He said again and laughed more. God, I was suffocating!

"Okay, okay! I promise! Just let me go!" The minute I said it, Itachi stopped. I looked at him trying to catch my breath. Only then I noticed that he was actually sitting on top of me. I could feel very clearly every part of his body... his legs pressed to mine tights, his hands on my stomach.

Itachi looked down at me with half lidded, shining eyes. He looked so content, so alive… like never before. I sighed when Itachi moved one of his hands slowly and pushed some hair of my face gently. Closing my eyes, I concentrated on the sensation Itachi's fingers that were now moving delicately along my cheek, gave me.

Suddenly he stopped. I felt his weight lifting up from my body and immediately missed the contact. Opening my eyes, I saw my brother lying next to me. Silence hung between us as I observed him without moving and he stared at the ceiling.

"Deidara gave it to me." Huh? "The book. He didn't want to let me leave before I took it so I had no other choice, really. And since I got bored waiting for you, I decided to have a look."

"Sure." I said smirking. "Whatever you want to believe." Itachi turned his head to glare at me, but it lacked something and wasn't effective at all. He smirked finally as well.

"Okay, I'll admit it, you got me there. I have the whole collection of those books at home and brought one here." God, did my brother just _joked?_ Because it wasn't the truth, was it? I giggled as I pictured my brother with a whole bookshelf of Harlequins.

"What's so funny?" He asked. I turned to my side so now I was lying facing him completely.

"You." I said and looked at him smiling a little. He smiled as well. A rare and beautiful sight to see… Cliché but true.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A few days later I somehow managed to sneak Suigetsu to my house when Itachi wasn't there. Of course we had sex and right now we sat in front of each other on my couch with our legs crossed.

I was actually curious how this get together with Suigetsu would change my thoughts about my brother. It was a test in some way. Because if nothing is going to change, I'll have to try to find some other answers as to why I was acting this way around him.

Truth to be told, I didn't feel too comfortable with the thought that I just slept with him. It's not that the sex was bad. Hell no. I just felt like I betrayed someone, like I shouldn't have done that… Itachi's words from after the marathon kept popping out in my head all the time. I almost felt guilty, damn it. Like I did something very wrong. And most definitely like I didn't want Itachi to find out about it.

"You know, Sasuke, I met a strange girl at the preparation course." Suigetsu said.

"Oh? And how is she strange?"

"Well, for starters, she's a real bitch." I lifted my eyebrow. "I think her name's Karin… She's abusive, swears a lot and has a violent personality in general… but damn, it turns me on." He finished and looked at me weirdly. I opened my mouth and without even thinking about my next words, I said:

"You should go for it." Suigetsu looked at me surprised.

"Nah… it's not like I think I wouldn't succeed, it's pretty obvious she's attracted to me… But that would actually mean that I need to stop seeing you. You know, just to be decent."

"That's okay. You should go for it." I don't know why, but I really wanted him to be happy.

"Are you saying I'm bad in bed?" he asked, mocking a hurt voice. I just rolled my eyes.

"No, I'm saying you should try to find someone and be happy." I can't believe I just said that. Suigetsu didn't believe either cause he looked strangely at me.

"Okay…what happened to you Sasuke? Cause I'm not sure if I preferred the bastard or that new, plush self of you.

"Suigetsu." I glared at him.

"Okay okay… Yeah, I think I'll do just that. But we are still friends, right?" he asked and I could see an honest emotions in his eyes.

"Yeah…" I said, half-smirking, half-smiling at him. We looked at each other in silence for a minute longer and then leaned in union towards each other to kiss one last time. Somewhere in the middle of it when Suigetsu pushed his tongue into my mouth I heard door to my apartment open and close. I jumped away from him, but it was too late already, Itachi stood in the living room looking at us with one brow slightly raised.

"Am I interrupting something?" He asked and his voice was strangely cold and emotionless.

"No, we just finished." Suigetsu said, moving away from me and getting up. When he was near my brother, he put a hand on his shoulder briefly. "Take care of him for me."

With that he went to the door and left. I just looked after him. I was really glad I had someone like him in my life, seriously.

"What _was_ that?" Itachi asked, looking at me.

"A goodbye." I said, without prying my eyes from the door.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Fast update for all my readers! And once again, I have nothing against Harlequin Books! XD Really!

**About Harlequin Books:** those are the books about romances, but like really cheap and cliché XD Something you can buy most probably in an every newsstand… and are usually read by women and so on, you get the picture. I think they available all around the world… maybe I got the name wrong, but that's what they're called in general in my country anyway XD Sorry for troubles it caused you!


	9. Art Of Acceptance

**"Art Of**** Acceptance"**

**CHAPTER 09**

My get together with Suigetsu didn't help like I thought it would. I still had those thoughts about my brother, still wanted to touch him… and it was getting on my nerves lately, because it was harder for me to concentrate on my work with every passing day.

Right now was one of those moments. I sat in my study room for a good few hours trying to think of something creative and do my work, but the only thing that came to my mind was Itachi.

Itachi, Itachi, Itachi. Over and over again I repeated his name in my mind…

"What about me?" I turned abruptly when I heard my brother's voice. Just when did he come back?

"Nothing." I said very intelligently. You can't blame me, really.

"Really? Then why have you been repeating my name for the last 15 minutes?" He asked, resting his body by the doorframe, crossing his arms and looking at me weirdly. I narrowed my eyes.

"Just how long have you been standing there? And why aren't you at work anyway?" I asked changing the topic and praying that my brother would leave the previous one.

"15 minutes, like I just said. And theoretically I'm still at work, but we have to wait for some documents and they will be delivered in a few hours so I figured I wouldn't just sit there and came back home. You still haven't answered my question." He said smirking. I cursed quietly. Damn him…

"Does there have to be a reason? It just came to my mind." Right… that was one hell of an explanation. Itachi observed me for a minute longer but decided to drop it. Sitting in one of the armchairs, he looked at my not finished drawings.

"This one is good… Too bad you didn't finish it." He said, looking closely at the sketch of a woman in a traditional Japanese kimono and with a fan in her hand.

"Do it then." I said shrugging my shoulders.

"Do what?" He looked at me sceptically.

"Finish it, what else." I said and rolled my eyes. "You don't have anything other to do, right?"

"Sasuke, I stopped doing this years ago. I don't remember anything anymore." He said, but looked longingly at the picture. I could tell he missed his art…

"Come on, Itachi, I'll help you. You can't forget how to draw, _really._" I said as I got up, took the drawing and a pencil and sat near him on the second armchair. Itachi still looked at me unconvinced but didn't object any further. Giving him everything, I encouraged him to start.

He looked at the drawing silently, trying to figure what to do and I observed him patiently. Finally, he started to draw. Firstly, his moves were hesitant, but as the time passed, he became more and more certain in what he was doing. I had to say that even if in the beginning the lines he drew were a little shaky, later he started to come back to his original and unique style from all those years ago.

I don't know how long we sat like that, but I didn't get bored in the slightest. Observing my brother, as he sat there concentrating was a very interesting activity. I especially liked how his body moved with him when he drew. Chiefly his hand… smooth, full moves, his wrist moving all the time in different directions. His fingers worked all the time as well as he placed the pencil he was holding at different angels to obtain various effects on the paper. In fact it was so interesting I couldn't pray my eyes off him even when he stopped.

"What?" I asked finally when he didn't say anything and just looked at the picture.

"I can't remember how I am suppose to draw this so it'll be correct." He said and pointed at a building that was in the background. I looked at it for a minute, then got up and stood behind him. Leaning down I grabbed his hand with a pencil and started to show him how to do it.

Yeah, I know. I didn't have to do it that way. I could have just taken the picture from him and then correct his work. I didn't have to put my second hand on his shoulder as well. I could have just supported myself on the back of the chair. And most certainly I didn't have to press my chest to his back, as close I was able to…

But damn, had it felt good. This feeling of longing I've been experiencing for the past two week became smaller and all thoughts about him disappeared. The only thing that mattered was what was happening right now.

I stopped moving my hand and looked at him. He also turned his head and observed me closely. It was almost like the time had stopped. I leaned closer to him slowly, looking for any signs of objection. When I was almost touching his lips with mine…his cell rang.

I jumped away from him immediately as Itachi reached to his pocket and took the phone out.

"Hello?" He asked in an emotionless voice and listened to the person on the other end. "Okay. I'll be there." After that he hung up and looked at me like waiting for something. When I didn't move or say anything, he stood up and headed towards the door. Just when he was about to leave, he turned to me.

"I forgot to tell you earlier… I spoke with our father and we established that I'm going back home tonight." He said and without another word left.

I just stood there gaping after him. I really didn't have any idea what that was right now… nor did I want to think about it.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

In the late evening, I still found myself in my study room working on a project. Two of my computers on, books scattered around me, sheets of papers with ideas sketched on them… that's how I always worked and what my working place looked like. Chaotic and messy but it suited me somehow.

I sighed looking at the screen. It was 9 p.m. already and Itachi still wasn't home… Wait, had I just called my apartment his home? God, he lived with me for only two weeks and I'm thinking like he'll be staying forever. Which he won't be… unfortunately.

Sighing once again I got up from my bed and headed to the kitchen to make myself some coffee. Those constant thoughts about my brother were really killing me… why was he all I could think of? Why had he become so important to me all of sudden?

All those touches and that weird situation from earlier today… It was something I couldn't understand, something I just couldn't or didn't _want to_, proceed through my brain. But I wanted more of it at the same time. It was almost like I wanted to get as much as I could from this situation, before I realize what it really was and got scared… or before it would end.

I stopped abruptly in my living room when lights in my house were suddenly turned off. I looked out of the window and noticed that few buildings next to mine went completely black as well. Great, a black out… geez, where had I put my flashlight?

I turned around slowly intending to go to my bedroom when I felt a hand on my shoulder. I gasped in shock, but grabbed it firmly and pushed an elbow forward, trying to aim for an intruder's stomach. I knew how to defend myself, damn it, no one was going to—

"Sasuke, that _hurt_." I heard pained voice of my… brother.

"Itachi?" How come it didn't occur to me that it could be him? Seriously…

"Yeah… did you expect someone else?" He asked and I could hear a smirk in his voice. I didn't hit him as hard as I thought after all. Damn.

"Tch. No." I answered, but still didn't let go of his hand…and he wasn't protesting, really. " But you know, you could have made some noise when you were entering the apartment. How is it even possible, to be so quiet?"

"I wasn't quiet, I actually tripped on the doorstep. I don't know why you didn't hear me… or was this on purpose?" Bastard, he was smiling evilly, I was sure of it… but had I been so deep in thought so as to not hear something like that?

"Yes, I waited all my life to put my elbow in your stomach. Seriously, Itachi. I was just going to get the flashlight…" Not having much choice I finally let go of his hand and wanted to go to my bedroom… but tripped on something. Probably my brother's foot. Oh well, it looked like I wasn't going to get my flashlight any time soon.

When I was falling, I somehow managed to recoup Itachi and we both ended on the floor.

"God, Sasuke." Itachi groaned. "You're going to kill me today."

I didn't listen to him though. I was too occupied with thinking about the position we were in. Okay, so I was sitting on top of my brother…just how big were the chances that we would actually end up this way after falling down? Apparently, _very_ big. Seriously, I had the shittiest luck ever…

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked when he didn't hear any replay from me. I moved my eyes to meet his. It was dark, but I got used to it by now and could see a few things…like glowing eyes of my brother for example. I suddenly became very aware of everything. I could clearly hear my thudding hurt and quickened breath, feel my stomach twisting in a nervous manner and my brother's hand on my thigh…

I leaned down slowly not breaking eye contact. It was almost like he hypnotized me, like he was urging me to move forward without doing anything. I stopped just above his lips. Itachi didn't move an inch, just looked at me with slightly clouded eyes. I observed him further and closed my eyes finally, capturing his lips with mine.

God, what was I doing?! This was going to be a disaster! How will I be able to look at him ever again? Itachi will be furious at me! He—

…was kissing me back.

I would be shocked… if I wasn't preoccupied with other, more important matters… like my brother's tongue slipping into my mouth.

I moaned as I sucked at his lips. Lifting my hands I put them in Itachi's hair and pressed my body to his. God it was amazing. So amazing it actually made me feel shivers run down my back. I could tell he felt exactly the same by the way his body cooperated with mine. His hand, that was on my thigh, started to move up and down massaging it gently, while the other was on my back and also moved along it.

Moving away a little, I nibbled at his lips and licked the saliva that connected our mouths. Then I looked at him. I was half expecting Itachi to laugh in my face and tell me this was some kind of sick joke… But he didn't, thankfully. He just looked at me like he was deep in thought. I didn't know what to do really. I just kissed my brother and had absolutely no idea what to do next.

"Sasuke…" I finally heard Itachi's voice. God, _now_ I was nervous. What was he going to say? That it was a mistake? No, he wasn't going to do that… was he? No, I wasn't able to take it…

Just when he opened his mouth to say something the lights were turned on. I jumped away from him immediately, feeling embarrassed. As I stood up I tried my hardest not to look in his eyes. Itachi sat up as well and looked at me, I could feel his burning gaze on my head. I needed a distraction now…

Itachi's cell rang. Great. Maybe my luck wasn't so bad today after all.

"Hello?" Itachi asked picking the phone up. "Yes. I know… What? Eh… Yes, I'll be there. Goodbye father." Scratch that. I had no luck _whatsoever_. I turned my head abruptly and looked at my brother. Itachi just sighed and stood up.

"I need to go." What? One call from our father and he listens to him right away? He was going to leave after what happened just like that? I gaped at him shocked and angry at the same time. Itachi moved his eyes to mine once again and started for a minute before opening his mouth.

"I'll come back later to get my things." _The fuck?_ Was it all he was going to say?

"Itachi!" I called after him, but he didn't stop or turn around. He just left.

I. Couldn't. Believe. This. Bastard. He just walked out on me! God, I was furious!

I grabbed the closest thing that was near me, which happened to be some vase, and threw it with all my strength at the wall. Shattering, it fell to the floor in pieces. I collapsed as well.

God, just what I have gotten myself into? I was afraid before of Itachi leaving me behind once again behind. Now, I knew that he was going to come back… but somehow it hurt ten times more…

What _was_ that kiss anyway? Was I really attracted to my brother? Then again, what else could it be? But that also meant that he felt in a similar way…

I grabbed my phone from a pocket and dialled a number to my blond friend.

"Naruto, I need you to come to my place now." I said when he picked up and then hung up on him.

The whole time I was waiting for Naruto to arrive, I didn't move from my spot on the floor. I just stared blankly in front of me. Finally I heard the knock at the door.

"It's open." Naruto opened the door and looked around. Spotting me on the floor, he took off his coat and walked over to me. When he noticed the broken vase, he blinked and sat down next to me.

"Sasuke, what happened?" He asked, concern in his voice.

"Sorry I broke that vase from you."

"It doesn't matter, I'll buy you another one. What happened? Did Itachi do that?" I winced, when he mentioned my brother. Naruto noticing this instantly, frowned and put a hand on my shoulder. "Sasuke. Come on talk to me." He said, when I didn't make a move and stared blankly at the glass on the floor. Finally I opened my mouth and looked at my blond friend.

"I just kissed my brother." I said simply and Naruto gasped.

"Okay… now, that was unexpected." He said and fell silent for a minute, trying to sort things out in his head. "Is this what that's about?" He asked, pointing the shattered object.

"No. It's not about the fact that we kissed. It's about the fact that he walked out on me without saying anything." I said, turning my eyes away again.

"Oh… but he did kiss you back right?" I nodded. "You think it's more because of the fact that you are siblings or about the general concept of you two kissing?"

"I don't know. I mean, I don't see _any_ problem, in general concept or in the fact that we are brothers. But _he_ certainly does… at least judging from the way he acted. Tch, one phone from our father and he disappeared just like that again!"

"Your father called him? Maybe something happened and he just needed to go—"

"But that's not the point! The point is that he rushed instantly after receiving an order without saying anything

besides 'I'll be back later to get my things'!" I screamed, utterly pissed.

"Okay, I get it… So maybe he was confused by the whole situation, give him a chance to think it over. And the fact

that he went straight away… well, as long as he comes back, we're good. He still works for your father, remember

that. Just wait and see what will happens. If he still acts cold, just confront him about it." I glared at the blond for a

minute but sighed in defeat finally. He was right, no matter how you look at it.

"Sasuke?" Naruto asked in a hesitant voice.

"Yeah?"

"Um… what is this thing between you two?" I looked at him. Hell if I knew.

"I have no idea Naruto. It's just… lately I've been noticing these strange things about him. Like how perfect his

body is, what a beautiful face he has… I just wanted to be as near to him as it was possible. To touch him… Ugh…"

"So you say that it's just physical attraction… or is this something more?" I looked at him shocked.

"Are you actually suggesting that I'm _in love_ with Itachi?" He didn't mean that, did he? No, I was pretty sure he did…

"I don't know Sasuke. It's just strange… for it to be only a physical attraction I mean. You could have anyone you

wanted and there are many good looking people actually _begging_ you to sleep with them. Then why your brother?

There needs to be something more to it." Naruto concluded with a serious expression.

"Naruto, please. Don't start to persuade me that I'm in love with him, that's just…"

"Just what Sasuke? You said you don't see a problem in the fact that you are brothers."

"Because I don't! But to actually be with him…" I stopped and thought about it for a minute. It did seem strange,

Sure, but in the same time the thought was quite nice…

"Well, anyway, it's for you to decide. Just think about it and be _honest_ with yourself. And _talk_ with him, don't threw a tantrum the minute he walks in." With that Naruto stood up and went to my kitchen, looking for a broom. When he cleaned the broken glass, he put his shoes and jacket on.

"Call me if anything happens."

"Sure…Thanks, Naruto." The bond just nodded and left my apartment. And I sat at the floor for the rest of the night looking mindlessly at the wall and waiting for my brother to return.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Kukuku… Make out time XD


	10. Art Of Feeling

**"****Art Of****Feeling****"**

**CHAPTER**** 10**

I woke up and looked around dizzily. I was in my bedroom…and I fell asleep in the living room, I was sure of it…

I got up from my bed and went out of the room. Just as I entered my living room I noticed Itachi sitting at the kitchen table and looking blankly in front of him. He had a cup in his hand, there were two plates on the table as well, one full and one empty. As I approached him, he didn't make any visible sign that he noticed me, but I'm sure he did...

"Eat something." He said, without looking at me. I just stared at him, stopping right next to the chair he was sitting on. Was he going to ignore me? He didn't want to say anything about yesterday? Well, I wasn't going to let it go like this, even if I had a feeling that nothing good would come out of it…

"Itachi…" He looked at me the moment I opened my mouth.

"Sasuke, listen. About yesterday…" He started and hesitated for a moment. No, he didn't want to reject me…did he? "I don't think we should continue this." I looked at him shocked and hurt at the same time. Despite the thing that I had said earlier, that it was only a physical attraction, the thought of my brother leaving now scared me shitless. I gritted my teeth.

"It didn't mean anything to you?" I asked in a pained voice. He moved his eyes away.

"No." I looked at him trying to calm myself. I didn't manage to do it though. I grabbed his shoulders and shook him violently, making him look at me.

"Don't lie to me." I hissed at him in a low voice.

"I'm not lying." I looked in his eyes closely for a minute and then leaned down, capturing his lips with mine. I know what he felt back then, damn it, and I was going to prove it to him.

I licked his lips and I could tell he wanted to resist at first, but when I bit his lower lip, he opened his mouth with a gasp. Not wanting to waste any more time, I slipped my tongue inside, exploring his mouth. Itachi gave up finally and kissed me back, putting his arms around my waist and pulling me closer.

When we moved away from each other a little, I looked at him and gripped his neck tightly, but not too hard.

"Itachi, don't you _dare_ tell me that you didn't feel anything, because I _know_ otherwise." I said, putting all of my emotions I felt right now into that one sentence.

"Sasuke…" My brother whispered, moved one hand from my waist to my face and stroked it gently. "Sasuke… it really would be better if we stop right now… It will only bring you more trouble and you don't need that…"

"No, Itachi, stop it! You're doing it again, don't you see? You promised." I whispered the last part. "You promised you wouldn't do this again. So don't go telling me what is good for me, because _I _know better." I said and leaned down, putting my forehead to his. "If you're willing to accept those 'troubles', so am I."

"Sasuke…" He said my name again. God, I loved it when he did that, it always made me feel so special. Itachi moved his head a little and kissed my neck, then my chin, my cheek and lips. His hands that were around my waist moved down to my butt, and massaged it gently. I smirked at him.

"Thinking about something?" Itachi smirked as well and put his face to my chest, inhaling deeply. I lifted my hands and put them in his hair.

"I want you." He said, lust evident in his voice. I simply raised my eyebrow.

"Really? Not more than a minute ago you said something different." I said and nudged his hair with my nose.

"Well, I guess I changed my mind. You are good at persuading, you know. Your arguments were very convincing…" Itachi moved his hands around my butt a few more times and then put them under my shirt.

"Aha. And you are most definitely not going to use me now and leave afterwards." Itachi moved away and looked at me with a serious expression.

"Sasuke, you know I wouldn't do that."

"I hope so." I said and let my eyes show him how much trust I had in him. After I was sure he got the message, I leaned down again and captured his lips. He moved his hands under my shirt up and down, stopped at the edge of it and finally decided to pull it off. I lifted my arms obediently when he stood up from the chair pulling my shirt and tossing it on the floor. I did the same with his and put my hands around his neck, kissing him.

We headed towards my bedroom and by the time we get there we were completely naked. Itachi pushed me on the bed and lay, or rather sat, on top of me. As soon as he did that, I felt his growing erection rub against mine. Now I was slightly uncomfortable. Believe it or not, but it was the first time I was going to be on the bottom… and I doubted that Itachi was willing to switch places…

"Something wrong, Sasuke? Changed your mind?" He asked, running his tongue alongside my neck.

"No…" Itachi looked at me closely. Finally his eyes shone with understanding.

"You've never been on bottom before, have you?" He asked smirking. I glared at him.

"Well, have you?"

"Mhm…No." He said and leaned down to kiss my chest several times. "Don't worry, little brother. I'll make you forget about that soon enough…"

"Confident, are we? I didn't know you were so good—" I stopped as I gasped when I felt Itachi's tongue moving skilfully on my erected member. "Oh God, you _are_ good…"

"Hn…" Itachi grunted and licked it some more. I squirmed under him. God, it felt awesome… I put my fingers in his hair and massaged his scalp, while he moved up once again. Capturing one of my nipples in his mouth he sucked on it before moving to the other one and nibbled at it with his tongue as well.

"Nhn, Itachi…" I moaned and moved my hips a little, rubbing my member with his grown erection. Itachi gasped as well closing his eyes for a second. Then he let go of my nipple and moved to my neck once again. I turned my head to the side to give him more access. Itachi sucked, licked and bit it in several places and I was sure I was going to have a few hickeys the next day. Not that I actually minded…

When my brother finished the abuse on my neck, he kissed me on the lips quickly and moved down a little with his whole body. Running his hands down my legs, he looked directly at me.

"Spread your legs." He said in a tone full of need and it turned me on even more. I did as he said without breaking eye contact.

"Relax." Itachi said and leaned down placing delicate kisses around my crotch. First he moved his hands alongside my legs gently, then he moved his fingers near my entrance. Finally he put two fingers into his mouth and licked them, before slipping them inside me and moving them around.

"Ugh…" I moved a little in discomfort and Itachi leaned down and kissed me on the lips trying to distract me. Those were quick kisses interchanged with quick bites and licks…it was _very _pleasant and I didn't even notice when Itachi added another fingers.

When he decided that I was finally ready he took his fingers out and positioned himself between my legs.

"Ready?" he asked and looked at waiting for my acceptance.

"Just do it…" I choked out. I definitely wasn't going to last much longer…

"Do what?" He asked smirking and stroking my member gently. I glared at him. That bastard.

"Just _fuck me_ already." I said and closed my eyes tightly when he pushed inside me. God, he was _huge_…

"Move…" I said, trying to get used to the pain. Itachi started to move inside me slowly not wanting to hurt me. Finally he hit the sensitive spot and I gasped at the feeling tossing my head and arching my back. It. Was. Simply. Amazing… and I needed more… I pushed my hips up a little urging him to go faster. Itachi immediately got the message and quickened the pace resting his forehead on my shoulder and gritting his teeth.

"God, Sasuke, you're so tight…" He said pushing into me with greater strength each time. I moaned as he bit my neck… I was close, I could feel it…

"Itachi…" I said his name moaning as I released all over his stomach. Itachi pushed a few more times then came inside me as well.

"Sasuke…" He whispered, breathing heavily with his forehead on my shoulder. We lay like that without moving for a few minutes trying to calm down and catch our breaths. It was incredible… I have _never_ felt anything so intense before during sex.

I moved my hands along his arms up and down several times, massaging them gently. He had such velvety skin… I looked him in the eyes when he moved up a little.

"You still think it's a bad idea for us to continue doing this?" I asked with half closed eyes, I was sleepy as hell.

"Have I ever said that?" Itachi smirked and leaned down to kiss my cheek chastely. Then he pulled his member out of me and lay on his back, as I moved my legs together already feeling it was going to hurt like hell in a few hours. Itachi covered us with a duvet and I immediately turned to my side putting my head on his chest and hugging him around the waist. He put his arm around me as well and kissed the top of my head.

Never in my life have I felt so fulfilled.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I woke up a few hours later. Alone.

I cursed as I sat on the bed and looked at the empty place where Itachi lay before. Bastard. And to think that he actually told me that he wasn't going to use me and leave afterwards. God, I was pissed.

I got up from the bed, put some black jeans and black shirt on and went to the kitchen. I looked around half expecting to see Itachi somewhere, but he was nowhere to be found. Tch, go figure. Of course he left. What was he going to say to me this time? Or maybe he will ignore me again…

After I made myself something to eat I sat on the couch and turned the TV on. I had nothing to do all day actually… Which only unnerved me more since I'd end up think about that asshole the whole time. Great, just fucking great…

When I finished eating and sat mindlessly switching through channels, the door to my apartment was opened and my brother came in. He undressed himself and went to sit next to me like everything was perfectly normal.

"Hey there. Up already?" He said and leaned in to kiss me, but I turned my head away without even looking at him. He frowned and looked at me confused. "What's wrong?"

"Nothing's fucking wrong. Everything 's _perfect_." I said with sarcasm dripping from my voice. He looked at me even more lost before finally understanding.

"Is this about the fact that I left? Come on Sasuke, I just used the opportunity that you were still asleep to move my things back to my house. I came back, right? Seriously, you seem to get angry easily when it comes to me leaving you, even for a short bit." He said the last part in a joking manner, but I _really_ didn't feel like joking.

"Very funny Itachi." I hissed at him and he frowned at me again.

"Sasuke…. I'm sorry, okay? I won't do this again. I didn't know it mattered so much to you." I turned my head violently to look at him.

"You didn't know it mattered so much to me? _You didn't know?_" _Now _I was fucking furious. "Come on, Itachi, you're not stupid! What was this whole five-years silence between us about? Yes, you're right! About you leaving me! So don't you go and tell me you _didn't_ know! Especially after something like that and the thing you said before!" I ended breathing heavily and glared at my brother. Itachi stared at me with surprise mixed with anger.

"You know what, forget I said anything." I got up from the couch and went to the study room, closing the door behind me with a loud thud. Not a minute later Itachi opened the door and leaned his body on the doorframe, crossing his arms and looking at me closely.

"Sasuke, now you're being ridiculous. I know that I hurt you when I left you all those years ago and I apologized as well as I apologized for leaving you today. I also promised you not to do it again. What else do you want me to say or do?" I looked at him. I knew I was being ridiculous. I also knew I was being a drama queen… but I couldn't help it. The slightest thought of him leaving me left me so scared it was even hard to imagine. God, did he actually mean so much to me? Had Naruto been right when he said that I actually fell in love with him? How do you know that you are in love anyway? Was that it?

I sat on the armchair and put my head on my hands. I felt like such a girl right now…

Itachi sighed and came closer, crouching in front of me. He grabbed my hands and pulled them gently towards him, making me lift my head.

"Sasuke, I understand that you might have gotten scared and I'm sorry once again for doing that to you. But I repeat, I'm _not_ going to leave you ever again unless you tell me to do so." Why was he always so calm and mature? God, I didn't actually deserve to have such an understanding brother… and lover.

"No, Itachi, don't apologize. _I'm_ sorry. You don't deserve to be screamed at, you're being wonderful all the time. It's me who's ruining everything." I said and smiled apologetically. He smiled as well and raised his hand to stroke my cheek gently.

"You're not ruining anything. It's understandable that you might have your doubts." He said and kissed me on the lips. I sighed and rested my forehead on his shoulder.

"You mean so much to me…" I said closing my eyes. Itachi was silent for a minute.

"You're very important to me as well." He said finally but I could tell there was something wrong with his voice. I didn't want to think about it now though.

We stayed like that until Itachi stood up and pulled me with him.

"Come on, we can cuddle in a more comfortable place." I looked at him weirdly. "What, you don't want to? Or maybe you have actually something other to do in here?"

"No, it was suppose to be my fortress during my war with you." I said shrugging my arms and he smirked at me.

"It didn't last too long."

"Well, what can I say, you have a strong line of attack." We came to the living room and lay on the couch, with Itachi laying on his side behind me and hugging me around the waist with his arm. I sighed feeling my brother's body pressed to mine. I didn't want to let go of it _never_ in my life.

"Shouldn't you be at work?" I asked as the thought came to my mind.

"I should, but I called Deidara and asked him to cover for me." I looked at him over my shoulder.

"You know, if I'd use such a vocabulary I'd say that you're sweet. But I don't, so I'll settle for: damn, that turned me on in some weird way." Itachi chuckled lightly and kissed me on my head.

"If anyone is sweet here, it's definitely _you_." He said and chuckled some more at the look I send him.

"I'm not sweet _nor_ cute, why won't you people get it?"

"What people? Is there someone else calling you that? Tell me who and I'll get rid of them." He said and looked pretty damn serious doing it.

"Itachi, I must say that even if your possessiveness is slightly scary, it _still_ turns me on." I frowned at him. "Why do you have to leave anyway?"

"Sasuke…" Itachi's expression turned to somehow sad and I hated the fact that I ruined his good mood. "You know I have my responsibilities."

"What responsibilities? I'm not asking you to stop working for our father's company, I'm asking you to live with me." Now he looked touched at my words. He had really shown a wide range of emotions today.

"You know I would want that. But what would I say to our father? That I'm going to live with my younger brother permanently?"

"Well, I'm sure he expects you to move out, you're 29." I said and looked at him sceptically.

"I know. But he expects me to move out and live with some woman, not my male brother."

"Right. And that's why you'll do exactly as he says." I said rolling my eyes.

"Sasuke."

"Okay okay. I'm not saying anything more. I just don't understand why you won't for once do something that _you_ want."

"I _am_ doing what I want, I'm here right?" He said and stroked my stomach.

"Yeah. But what will you do when he finds out just what is going on between us? We both know he won't like that." I said and looked at him seriously. Itachi fell silent for a moment.

"It's too early to talk about that." Right. What else did I expect anyway? I turned my head away.

"Just remember what you promised me when the time to decide comes." I said in a dull voice. Itachi didn't say anything to that.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Wow, Sasuke's such a drama queen XD I hope I didn't overdo it, but then again I see him as quite an emotional one under this mask of indifference XD

Anyone, any idea what Itachi wanted to say instead of: "You're very important to me as well."? XD Yeah, I know, kinda cheap and cliché but I couldn't stop myself! XD


	11. Art Of Partnership

"**Art Of Partnership"**

**CHAPTER 11**

I would never in my life have expected my brother to be such a gentle and loving partner. We've been together for only a week, but that is enough to say this. Nothing could surprise me now, really. I always imagined him to be cold, possessive and distant; when in the reality he is the exact opposite.

He cares for me, is very supportive, spends as much time as he can with me and is always there in general. But even despite all this I still feel somewhat insecure, probably because of our father. I have this feeling that whenever Itachi enters my apartment he is going to say that out father found out about us and forbid him to see me…and that wasn't the worst part. What scared me the most was that Itachi would actually listen to him…

"Why so deep in thought?" Itachi asked, while playing with my hair. It was Saturday evening and we were currently sitting on my couch with me between my brother's legs and my back rested against his chest.

"No reason." I said, gently stroking the hand that was holding me around the waist. I couldn't believe just how much of a cuddly person I actually am…and Itachi as well, but as I said earlier, nothing was going to surprise me anymore when it came to my brother. Never before have I felt such a need to be so close with somebody all the time and now I need to touch him whenever he is somewhere near me, almost like I have to make sure that he is still there.

"Want to change the movie? Because I must say that even if I enjoy watching car races this old looking American boy is getting on my nerves…" We were currently watching Tokyo Drift.

I chuckled at Itachi's voice. Grabbing his hand I moved it to my lips and kissed the top of it. Then I looked at Itachi.

"How about we do something else…?" I asked smirking and looking at my brother with half lidded eyes.

"Mhm? Like what?" He asked, smirking as well and leaned down to kiss me.

"Well, I don't know…Oh, I got it! How about sex?" I moved my tongue out a little to lick at his lips and Itachi moaned quietly.

"You are such a naughty boy, you know that?" I chuckled again.

"That turns you on, doesn't it?" Itachi moved his hands under my shirt and stroked my stomach with his fingers slightly.

"You know it does…" He said leaning down and capturing my lips in a passionate kiss. Suddenly my phone rang. We ignored it, but when it didn't stop five minutes later we pulled away from each other.

"It must be something important." Itachi said and leaned to the side a little, grabbing my phone from the table.

"Thanks." I said picking up. "Hello?" I frowned when I heard Naruto on the other side. Crying. "Naruto? What happened?"

"Hey, Sasuke… I was wondering…" I sat on the couch and waited for my friend to continue. "Um, could you pick me up?"

"What? From where?"

"Um, I think I'm…" I listen to Naruto as he gives me directions. What was he doing there anyway?

"Okay. Just stay there and I'll pick you up in a few minutes, you hear me?" When I hung up on Naruto I stood up from the couch and looked at Itachi that was observing me silently.

"I'll be back in a few minutes." I said, leaned down to kiss him quickly and went out of the apartment.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

About an hour later I entered my apartment with Naruto close behind me. We took off our jackets and went to the living room and sat on the couch, I near my brother, Naruto on the other half.

"Okay, dobe. Tell me what happened." I said and looked at my blond friend. He had red eyes from crying and looked miserable in general. He didn't want to tell me what was wrong though.

"Can't we just leave it?" He said in a small voice, not looking at me.

"No, Naruto, we can't 'just leave it'. I just found you in the middle of nowhere crying your eyes out. I want to know what happened." I said in a calm voice not wanting to stress him anymore.

"Maybe I'll leave you two alone…" My brother said getting up.

"No, there's no need for you to leave, really don't mind me!" Naruto said hurriedly. "It just… it's nothing serious, really…"

"Dobe…" I said grabbing Itachi's arm and pulling him back down. I didn't let go of his hand when he sat back on the couch though.

"Eh, it's just we argued, with Sai I mean and I didn't want to take it anymore…So I left, got on the first bus that arrived and…well, after that I called you…But it's not like we broke up or anything… I think…" Naruto said sniffling lightly.

"What did you argue about?"

"Eh, stuff…" I looked at Naruto with a raised eyebrow.

"Stuff? Naruto, what stuff?" Naruto looked uncertainly at me.

"Well… it was about everything in general… and about you in some way." He said ashamed.

"Me?" Why were people arguing about me so often lately?

"Yeah… he just said some stuff…but I'm sure he didn't mean it… I mean, there's nothing going on between the two of us, right?" He asked and I looked at him shocked. Well, it was obvious that we spent more time together since I apologized and all…but it was nothing extraordinary, we were just slowly going back to the way we were all those years ago. We just acted like friends again.

"Naruto…" I didn't know what to say, really.

"No, don't worry about it Sasuke. He was just angry and all…and didn't listen to me at all…" Naruto said and started to cry again. I frowned slightly. Not only did I feel sorry for the dobe, but I couldn't understand how Sai could have ever said all those things.

I got up from the couch and went to Naruto, hugging him.

"Come on, you need to rest." I said and escorted him to my bedroom. When he had changed his clothes and laid down, I went back to the living room. I was glad to see that Itachi had already pulled out the sofa bed and put fresh bedding on it.

I sat down next to him grabbing my cell and dialling Sai's number.

"Sai, what do you think you're doing?" I asked when he picked up. "No, don't you dare hung up on me! Yes, he's with me…No, he didn't come here, I had to pick him up from some bus stop in the middle of nowhere! He was crying and half frozen to death, I actually had to convince him to stay at my place because he insisted that he stayed there the entire night…No, I'm not joking, he actually said that…" I said sighing and lying down on the couch on my back.

"Sai, did you really say those things about Naruto and I?" I asked and ran a hand through my hair. "I think I should tell you something, I was going to do it anyway…I'm with Itachi right now." I said and looked at my brother who was observing me and listening to the whole conversation silently. "No Sai, I didn't mean it like 'I'm with Itachi right now in the same room', which is the truth as well actually…what I meant was that I'm with him in a relationship." I said rolling my eyes.

"Yeah, you were right…No I didn't lie to you when you asked that, I just didn't see it in that way back then…" I blinked. Damn him and his manipulation skills. "Sai, don't change the topic, we were talking about Naruto and you… Seriously, there's nothing going on between the two of us, it's all in the past now." I said and closed my eyes, moving my hand through my hair again. "Listen, I can't say that I didn't love him back then and that I don't regret all the things I've done to him…but you know it best, I was the real asshole towards him then and all those years after…In fact I still love him, just _not _in that way and _you know it_. You know as well that he loves you, Naruto wouldn't be with you for five years if he didn't." I finished and listened to what Sai was saying.

"Well, you realise I'm not the one you should be saying this to…No, he's sleeping right now, I suggest you come in the morning. What? There's nothing much to tell about me and Itachi…Yeah, well, that's still a problem, but it's not a conversation for a phone." I said when Sai asked me about our father. "Okay. See you in the morning."

After I hung up, I put my cell away and sighed deeply.

"Okay?" Itachi asked. I opened my eyes and looked at him.

"Yeah…I just really hate it when people go back to the relationship I had with Naruto in the past. Why won't they just accept the things as they are now?" Itachi laid down on the couch on his stomach.

"What do you mean by that?" He asked, with his face hovering right above mine.

"I mean that it gets on my nerves that whenever we meet someone who knew that Naruto and I were together I always hear the same text that we actually still feel something towards each other. Why can't they just accept that we are just friends?" I said and lifted my hand putting it on Itachi's neck and stroking it delicately.

"_Are_ you just friends?" I glared at him and he smirked. Leaning down Itachi nibbled at my lips for a minute and then captured my lower lip with his teeth gently and sucked on it. I used my hand that was in his hair to push his head down and kissed him fully on the lips.

"Sasuke, do you have something—" Naruto stopped abruptly gasping when he noticed us. Itachi moved away from me with a sigh and rested his forehead on my shoulder murmuring something that sounded like: 'It looks like I won't get any after all…'. I chuckled and looked at Naruto.

"Have what?" I asked, amused by his shocked expression. After all, he knew very well that we were together.

"Um, I didn't mean to disturb you two…" He said, moving his eyes down. He was crying again, I could see it clearly.

"Don't worry about it, really."

"I just wanted to ask if you have something to eat, I remembered I haven't had anything since yesterday afternoon…"

"Yeah, there should be something in the fridge…or wait, we will order something, I'm hungry as well." I said and sat up, grabbing my cell. While I was ordering food Naruto joined me and my brother on the couch, but sat on the opposite part of it, willing to leave the two of us some space.

A few minutes later we were sitting with our Chinese food in the same places. I noticed that Naruto was trying to observe Itachi and I discretely, but was doing a poor job. He probably still found it quite amusing that I found someone and was in a relationship, with my brother no less.

"Yuck." I grimaced, when I noticed a big piece of onion in my dish. I completely and utterly hated onions.

"What?" Itachi asked, looking at me.

"Onion…" He raised a delicate eyebrow.

"Sasuke, you realise that they put onions in most of the Chinese dishes?"

"Well yeah, but they are small and I can't really taste them…but this." I said and lifted it with my chopsticks. "This is just _not right_." Itachi sighed and reached his hand towards me.

"Give me your box." He said and when I handed it to him, he started to pick the onions from my food and eat them. I made a disgusted face.

"You are _so_ not kissing me after that." Itachi just rolled his eyes at me and continued doing his job. When I heard Naruto chuckling quietly, I turned to look at the blond.

"What?"

"Nothing." He answered laughing some more and shaking his head. "Hey Sasuke?"

"Hn?" He hesitated for a moment before asking his question.

"How is it going between you two?" I looked at him weirdly, while Itachi just observed us with a bored look on his face.

"What do you mean? It's normal, he's still an asshole and I'm still a bastard." I said smirking and looking at Itachi who send me a disgraced look. "Incest is such fun, I tell you…" I leaned down a little and kissed a still glaring Itachi on the cheek. When I moved away from him I noticed the sad look on Naruto's face.

"Hey, dobe. Don't worry; everything will work out between you two for sure. Seriously, you quarrelled for the first time after _five years_ of being together. It tells you something, doesn't it?"

"Yeah I guess…but it still makes me nervous…Okay, I think I'm going to lay down, I'm tired as hell." He said getting up and heading back to the bedroom. "Night Sasuke, night Sasuke's brother who's checking out his ass now." He said chuckling slightly and closing the door behind him.

I turned to look at Itachi from my spot in the kitchen where I was putting the dirty dishes away.

"You were checking out my ass?" I asked, walking towards him.

"You can't blame me, really." Itachi said in a serious voice, sitting with crossed legs and looking at me lustfully.

"Well, I guess I can't." I said with mock modesty in my voice, I put my knees and hands on the bed and crawled to him. I stopped right in front of his face and gazed at him seductively.

"Still eager?" I asked, moving my lips along his cheek lightly. Itachi closed his eyes sighing contently.

"Naruto…"

"He knows better than to disturb us now, trust me." I said capturing the shell of his ear and nudging it with my tongue. Itachi moved his head a little and started to kiss my neck.

"You know…now that I think about it, I couldn't care less…" He said and pushed me on my back.

"Wow, you _are_ eager." I said, moving my hips a little and feeling that he was hard already. "Now, we won't get anywhere if I don't take care of this first."

Pushing at his shoulders, I switched our position so now I was sitting on top of him. Leaning down, I kissed him on the lips grimacing a little when I tasted onion…Oh, well…

Itachi put his hands in my hair as I ground our hips together. When I moved away a little I pulled my shirt off and he did the same. Leaning down I kissed his chest, leaving bite marks in several places. It was actually the first time I got to be on top, even if for a moment.

Moving down with every kiss I stopped at the edge of his pants, unzipped them and took them off leaving him completely naked. I did the same with mine and leaned down again.

I moved my hands along his thighs, tickling them slightly, while kissing his erected member in several places. When I grabbed his penis with one of my hands gently and moved my tongue skillfully along it, Itachi moaned, tossing his head to the side.

"You aren't half that bad yourself, you know…" He said gasping, when I put the tip of it into my mouth and sucked lightly.

"No shit." I smirked and teased him some more.

"Sasuke…" He said finally, need clearly present in his voice. Itachi jerked his hips violently and I had to use a hand to hold them down. Taking his member fully into my mouth, I moved my lips up and down faster every time, while my other hand massaged his crotch. When Itachi arched his back and came I swallowed everything. Slowly letting go of his penis, I looked at him lying under me breathing heavily with closed eyes.

"Go on." Itachi whispered and I looked at him shocked.

"You mean it?"

"You would ask me about it soon anyway…so if I'm going to let someone do it, I prefer it'd be you." He said, opening his eyes and looking at me. He really did trust me. For my brother to give control to someone else like that was the highest proof of trust…

I leaned down and kissed him on the lips. Moving away I smiled at him slightly. When he did the same I leaned down to kiss his neck, then his chest and stomach. Separating his legs, I slipped two of my fingers inside and moved them around, while my other hand and my tongue were occupied with stroking his nipples. When I decided that he was ready, I pushed my member inside him. I couldn't last too long, I was close already from all the foreplay and sucking him off.

Itachi cringed uncomfortably at first, but didn't make any noises. After letting him get used to the new sensation, I started to move inside him. Itachi grabbed my arms and squeezed them while tossing his head back and moaning…or rather purring. God, I had no idea my brother could purr…I pushed inside him harder with every thrust closing my eyes tightly.

Finally, the release came and I panted heavily resting my forehead on his chest. Catching my breath, I pulled out of my brother and laid on top of him, putting my head in the crook of his neck, while Itachi covered us with a duvet and put his arm around my waist.

"I think I'll let you do that more often…" Itachi said in a tired voice. I looked down at him with a smirk.

"Lazy, are we?" I asked, and put my hand in his, entwining our fingers.

"No, it just…felt nice." He said, massaging my back with the tips of his fingers.

"Ha! So you are saying I'm better than you."

"Sasuke, _please._" He said in a mocking voice. "_No one's_ better than me." I looked at him glaring and he just smirked.

"You are one confident bastard, you know that?"

"Yeah, but I'm your confident bastard and that makes a big difference." I looked at him silently for a moment.

"Yeah…and don't you ever _dare_ to forget that." I said and closed my eyes, falling asleep with my brother's body pressed to mine.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

The next morning we woke up in the exact same position. I lifted my head slowly and yawned looking at Itachi, who lay under me with half lidded eyes and a hand draped over his forehead.

"Hey." I said in a sleepy voice. He looked at me noticing that I was awake. Smiling slightly, he put a hand in my hair and moved through it.

"Hey there sleepy head." I pouted for a second and lifted my body from his.

"Come on, Sai will be here any minute." I said, kissing him quickly on the lips, getting up. After we made had made the bed and gotten dressed, Sai arrived. He went straight to Naruto who was still in my bedroom and one hour later found them still there doing God knows what.

"I hope they aren't having sex on my bed." I said, glaring in the direction of my bedroom. I was currently sitting with Itachi at the dining table eating breakfast.

"First they were silent, then they screamed at each other, after that they talked a little and now they are silent again…so yeah, I think there's a pretty big chance of that." Itachi said without prying his eyes from the newspaper he was reading and sipping on his coffee. I made face.

"Gross. I'm _so_ not cleaning that bed after they are finished." After a few more minutes the door to my bedroom was violently opened and Naruto ran out. I stood up thinking that something bad happened, but the blond jumped on me, hugging me around the neck.

"Sasuke! I'm so happy!" I looked at the blond, clearly lost. Then I looked at Sai who had just come into the living room. He was smiling…but not one of those fake smiles of his…

"Naruto? What happened? And let go, you're suffocating me!" I choked and Naruto moved away a little with a big grin plastered to his face.

"Sorry, sorry…and don't glare at me like that Itachi, I'm just happy!" He said and I looked at my brother who was sending the blond death glares. I raised my eyebrow and he just scoffed looking away.

"Come on, tell them Naruto." Sai said and approached his boyfriend, putting an arm around his waist.

"Right! Sasuke, Itachi…we are getting married!" He screamed the last part and I stared at him in shock. Wow, I didn't see that coming…but I was happy for them nonetheless. I went to Naruto and hugged him once again.

"Congratulations. I'm happy it's working out for you, you deserve it." I said looking at him. Naruto smiled warmly at me and wiped a few tears that had run down his cheek.

"Thanks Sasuke." He said. I then went to Sai, also hugging him briefly.

"Take good care of him."

"I will. Thanks." He said. When Itachi had congratulated them as well, Naruto and Sai sat with us at the table.

"Listen Sasuke, I forgot to tell you before, but we received a big commission to organize some banquet. It's an important company meeting and we are supposed to take care of the decorations and such. The company wants the banquet to look like some sort of an art exhibition, so it will be more interesting." Sai said and I nodded.

"Okay. What company is it?"

"Uh… I think the name was…Sharingan Inc." I looked at him shocked. Then I turned to look at Itachi, who was also startled. Sharingan Inc…Our father's company.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A/N: Yeah, I know, Sharingan Inc…not very creative but I had no other ideas; really XD And Naruto and Sai are getting married! I don't know how will they do that, but they will! I mean, are gay marriages legal in Japan? Oh well, if not they'll go to…Vegas XD Yeah!

I'm really sorry for a late update! I had to reinstal the whole system and I had problems with the internet connection... and now I had to give my computer to the service, cause there was something wrong with it. They promised to give it back in 10 days, so I won't probably update ubtil then, but I'll try XD

Again, SORRY!


	12. Art Of Support

"Art Of Support"

**CHAPTER 12**

"Sasuke, don't glare so much, you're scaring everyone away." Naruto said, nudging me with his arm. I scowled. More.

"Tch, that's the fucking point." We were now at the banquet that our Studio prepared for the Sharingan Inc. Of course I was opposed to the idea of doing it. But Sai and Naruto convinced me, saying that they were paying us a great deal of money. Which was true, but still…

Fortunately I hadn't met my father. _Yet._ Even if Itachi, who was also here, said that there was a small chance that he would actually come, I knew better. I just felt that I was going to meet him…soon.

I cursed quietly and decided to move a little. I couldn't stand under that wall all night like I planned. Walking through the crowd I noticed a blond ponytail… Deidara. Right, he was also here as well as a few of Itachi's other co-workers.

Not having anything other to do, I approached him.

"Hey Deidara." I said in a dull voice, greeting the man.

"Oh, hey Sasuke, un!" He said with a big smile. "Not happy to be here, hm?"

"Not really…"

"Listen, I want you to know something, un. I had no idea about anything that concerned you and your brother, un. Itachi never told me before about the fact that you didn't speak to each other for so long, he never told me about your father nor did he tell me that you were…" he said, his voice trailing off.

"Together?" I said, raising an eyebrow.

"Yeah, un. He just told me everything recently. He really change, you know?" He said, looking at me closely. "But that's good, un! He looks…happier? Yeah, happy, un." Deidara said, and patted me on the shoulder energetically. I smiled slightly.

"I'm glad to hear that… Deidara?" I asked and looked at him. I still hadn't forgotten about that incident with my brother and Sasori and I wanted to know what that was about.

"Yeah, un?"

"Remember that fight my brother had with your friend?" I said and Deidara's face dropped immediately. "I want you to tell me what that was about."

"Sasuke, I can't… It was nothing important and well… Itachi would kill me if he found out I told you, un."

"If that was nothing important then why would he kill you for telling me?" I said looking at him sceptically. Deidara hesitated for a moment.

"Alright, but you didn't hear anything, un, especially from me." He said and leaned closer. "It's just… we were walking on the street and Itachi said something about living with you, un. I don't know what happened to Sasori, because he isn't like that usually, but he started to say some things about you, un…"

"What things about me?" I asked, getting curious.

"Well… for example that you must be really hot if Itachi was fucking his younger brother, un…"

"What? But we weren't together back then." I said surprised.

"Yeah, un, I know. But Itachi got really pissed and Sasori noticed that was a sensitive topic… and he started to tease him more, un… you know the rest…"

"So are you basically saying that my brother got jealous?" Call me weird, but I felt flattered in some way.

"Yeah, un. We all know that a jealous Uchiha is a dangerous creature, un." He said smirking. I smirked as well.

"Oh, look who's here." I heard someone's voice from behind me and turned to see who it was. Sasori and Kisame.

"Hey kid." Kisame greeted me and I glared at him. "You seriously have Itachi's glare, you know that?" He said, laughing and ruffling my hair. I moved away from him scowling at the unwanted contact.

"Tch, who are you calling a kid?" I asked, trying to get my hair back to its previous state.

"Don't get nervous, Itachi's not here to ease the stress…" I looked at Sasori.

"What is your problem?" I asked, frowning. Seriously, I don't get him.

"Sasori, stop it, un." Deidara hissed at his friend.

"What, you don't like it when Itachi's sucking you off?" He asked in a disregarded tone and I jumped forward grabbing him by his collar.

"Why, you—" I didn't finish the sentence because Kisame pulled me back violently.

"Come on kid, it's not worth it." He said, pulling me even further. Deidara came to Sasori and hissed at him some more.

"Sorry Sasuke, un. I'll take him away." With that he disappeared with the redhead.

"Let's go find your brother." Kisame said and pulled me with him as we went through the crowd.

"What is his problem, seriously?" I asked, after calming down a little.

"I don't know. He just finds it amusing I guess… how easy it is to get under your skin when it comes to this. Don't worry though, your brother gave him one hell of a lesson last time." Kisame said smirking at me and I looked at him questioningly.

"What do you mean by that?"

"Oh? Itachi didn't tell you? We had to take Sasori to the hospital so they could give him stitches." He said, chuckling a little. Damn, I wish I'd seen that.

"Okay…tell me one more thing. Just how many people actually know about us? Cause it looks like a lot."

"No, just a few. Probably would be me, Deidara and Sasori, that's it. Although he didn't say Sasori directly, I think it's Deidara who accidentally told him. Your brother isn't very close with him, you know. Especially after this." I observed Kisame. He looked really similar to Suigetsu…

"You know, you resemble someone I know…" I said looking at him closely.

"Really? Cause there's not many people who look like me." He said grinning. Yeah, I bet. Because how many people out there look like a fish…

"It's not about your looks… well, maybe besides those teeth. It's about the way you act. You happen to know Suigetsu?"

"Houzuki Suigetsu? Yeah I know him. I know his brother as well, Mangetsu. Funny kid, a little creepy but still."

"Suigetsu has a brother? He never told me…" Then again we never really talked about ourselves…we just had sex.

"Oi, Itachi." Kisame said, patting my brother on the shoulder. When he turned to look at his friend, Kisame pushed me forward. "I'm delivering you your little brother. Seriously, I had to pry him off of Sasori, the kid has some strength." Itachi looked at me and frowned immediately when Kisame mentioned Sasori's name.

"What did he do this time?" He asked, grabbing my sleeve and pulling me to him. I had the urge to hug him… too bad I couldn't do it right now.

"What do you think?" Kisame said looking at my brother meaningfully. Then he turned away and left. Itachi looked at me.

"What?" I spat at him. This whole banquet was turning out worse and worse.

"Nothing." Itachi said and smirked at me. "I just wish I had seen it." I hit him on the shoulder. That bastard, he took it all as entertainment. "Don't worry about it Sasuke. I'll take care of it later."

"Just like you did the last time, and didn't tell me a word about it afterwards?" I asked and he frowned.

"Who told you?"

"It doesn't matter who told me." I said in a low voice, taking my arm from his hand. "What matters is that _you_ didn't tell me anything. Not a word about what he said that day on the street nor about the fact that you beat him into a pulp."

"Sasuke, it just wasn't important."

"Wasn't important? _Itachi!_ Everything that concerns _you_ is important to me, _why won't you get__ that?_" I said in a low voice. Or rather growled. We stared at each other in silence. "I'm sick of you not telling me anything because you want to 'protect' me. Not only did you, but this isn't how a relationship is supposed to work. So stop doing that 'cause I seriously can't take it anymore."

"Uh, lover's quarrel? I hate to disturb you two, but Sasuke, I need you to help me with something." Naruto said coming over to us. I looked at my silent brother a moment longer then turned around to follow my blond friend.

"Let's just stop at the bar, I need some alcohol _now._" I said, massaging my temples.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\ **

A few hours later still found me at that freaking banquet going from hall to hall. Naruto and Sai had disappeared somewhere; I saw Deidara and Sasori a few times but avoided them. My brother also disappeared, not that it mattered; I didn't really feel like seeing him right now…

"Everything's going pretty well I see." I stopped dead in my tracks as I was approaching a slightly ajar door. That voice… It was…

"Yes, father." Now, that was Itachi for sure. Meaning the other one belonged to…

I went closer to the door, trying to peek inside.

"Good. If you keep it up we will have this contract for sure… although you could try harder." I heard our father speaking again. I knew it; _I fucking knew_ that I was going to run into him sooner or later.

"I'm trying my best." Itachi said in an emotionless voice.

"No, you're not. You're really scattered lately, what's happening to you Itachi? I'm really expecting more of you. You should try harder." With every word that left his mouth I became more furious at him and more sympathetic towards my brother. Finally I decided I couldn't take it anymore. Maybe I was mad at Itachi, but he certainly didn't deserve this.

"Hello _father_." I said with a voice full of sarcasm, entering the room. Itachi and Fugaku turned to me, surprised by my sudden appearance. I went over to my brother and stood beside him with my face emotionless and my eyes cold.

"Sasuke." Fugaku said with disregard in his voice.

"Oh, I see you still remember my name. _I feel __honored_." I grimaced at him and Itachi looked at me still shocked at my actions. I didn't understand him though. Just because I was avoiding our father didn't mean I was still afraid of him, those times were long gone.

"Still vulgar and crude I see. I'm glad you didn't decide to come back home after all. Nothing good could come out of you anymore." He said and I felt as my eyebrow twitched. He wasn't going to break my composure no matter what.

"All pleasure on my side, believe me." I said in a mocking voice. He just stared at me. After a few minutes of silence and tension our father opened his mouth.

"Sasuke, I don't know what you have done with Itachi, but he's acting differently since he started to talk to you again." He said and I looked at him surprised. "He isn't concentrating on his work anymore and disappears somewhere all the time. He's becoming worthless to me, so I would be pleased if you stopped whatever you two are doing." I gaped at him. Did he know about us? More importantly, how could he talk about Itachi that way?

I looked at my brother and saw that he was looking to the side. He didn't really show anything but I knew him better. I could see that he was hurt, badly. I gritted my teeth and turned to our father once again.

"Careful with your words, old man." I said and was somewhat surprised at the venom in my voice. Fugaku looked at me shocked. "You are not going to insult him in my presence, he doesn't deserve it in slightest." Wow. I think that's the first time I have ever stood for my brother. I think that's the first time he _needed_ it. But I was more than willing to do it… What happened to Itachi anyway? Whenever someone had the nerve to snap at him like that he always glared at them and said something that left them scared shitless. But now, now he was just standing there peacefully taking everything our father was saying.

"Sasuke! Is this how you treat your father?"

"Tch, what '_father__'_? I don't see anyone that could be called that." I said and observed his reaction, which was an even bigger shock. "I would tell you some more things about how you should respect him more… but you won't get it anyway, so I'm not going to waste my breath on you." I said and headed towards the door. I looked at Itachi who was observing me now as well.

"Come on Itachi." I said and prayed in my heart that he would choose to go with me rather than stay with our father.

"Itachi. We are _not_ finished here." Our father said in a threatening voice and looked at him as well. Finally my brother moved. Towards me.

"Goodbye father. We will talk at work on Monday." He said and left with me. I sighed in relief.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

The whole way home neither of us said a word. We left the banquet early, figuring it would be better that way. After we entered our apartment Itachi took his coat off silently and headed straight to the bedroom. I went to the bathroom first to take a quick shower. When I was clean I put my pyjamas on and headed towards my bedroom.

Entering I saw Itachi sitting on his side of the bed with his legs crossed and staring blankly in front of him. I went to my side and sat on the bed as well, facing him.

"Itachi, I'm sorry… I should have thought before saying anything, it will only bring you more troubles…" I said quietly. As much as our father deserved it all, it still was going to be Itachi who would suffer in the end.

Itachi turned his eyes to meet mine slowly. When I thought that he was going to yell at me, like he had every right in the world to do, he leaned down and kissed me violently.

It was so sudden I gasped in shock and he slipped his tongue inside my mouth, using the occasion. Closing my eyes, I kissed him back just as passionately, putting my hands in his hair. Itachi laid me on the bed and moved his hands along my naked chest. Moving away he looked at me and I was surprised to see so many emotions in his eyes.

"I love you Sasuke." He whispered and I looked at him not really processing his words. When I finally got it I gasped opening my eyes widely.

"So you're not mad at me for saying all those things?" I asked stupidly. Really, I wasn't thinking about what I was saying right now. Itachi smiled slightly.

"No Sasuke. When someone says that they love you it usually means that they aren't mad." Itachi said kissing me chastely on the lips. Then he lay next to me on his back and I turned to my side. Taking the ribbon from his hair, I let it loose and moved my fingers through it.

"You know… I realize that your whole life you have always been the responsible one." I started and he opened his eyes looking at me curiously. "You were always the one that knew what to do, you were always calm and always supported me. You were always the one that carried the burden. But you know…" I said and leaned down, kissing his shoulder gently. "You're not alone anymore, you don't have to worry about everything by yourself. I'm here to help you. So if anything's bothering you, don't just lay there and deal with it on your own…tell me…" I said, going back to our previous conversation at the banquet. It really pained me to see him always trying to do things alone, not turning to me for help.

"I know…" Itachi looked at me with something between surprise and gratefulness in his eyes. "I'm just thinking about…"

"Today's meeting with our father." I finished and put my chin on his shoulder, looking at him. Itachi just nodded shortly. "Why do you care so much about what he says or thinks? He doesn't have any control over you whatsoever and he has never been the loving father, so why bother? Let him live in his sick fantasy." Itachi observed me stroking my cheek gently.

"I always envied you for this." He said finally.

"Envied me what?" I asked, raising one eyebrow. My brother never envied anyone anything. Or so I thought.

"That you were strong enough to forget all about our father and family and chose to do what you really wanted."

"Then don't envy me, do the same. Seriously, Itachi, how long is our father going to interfere with our lives, ruin our happiness?" I was really sick of it. Seriously, that was far from normal.

"You know I can't just walk away from him…"

"Why not? What is holding you there? Remember _why_ you decided to do it in the first place? Well, it has nothing to do with me anymore. _Please_, at least move in to my apartment, you don't have to resign from your job." I asked in an almost begging voice. I was surprised by it actually, that I needed him here with me so much. Itachi looked at me surprised as well.

"Why, little brother, I didn't know you cared so much for me." He said smirking slightly and I glared at him. Laughing gently, he moved his head a little and kissed me on the forehead.

"It's not much of an answer, you know?"

"I'll try, I promise." He said and to prove his point he kissed me once again.

"Right." I said in a dull voice looking away.

"Really. Sasuke…" I sighed and decided to change the topic.

"I can see it… you're thinking about what he called you today." I said, observing him closely as he looked at me as well.

"I know it's not the truth." Yeah, right. I thought my brother was a better liar then that.

"Really? Because you look like you aren't convinced at all." I said and moved up a little, sitting on top of him. "Listen, everything he says is wrong and completely untrue." Leaning down I kissed him on the lips. "You're a wonderful person. Carrying, loving." I said and every time I called him something I kissed some place on his face. His cheeks, forehead, eyes, nose and chin, "Intelligent, thoughtful, supportive, damn handsome… and so, _so_ much more. And a bastard, asshole and sometimes a jerk…" I said smirking. "…But I love you anyway." The minute I said that I blinked. Did I just proclaim my not-so-brotherly love to Itachi? At least we were even now…

We stared at each other in silence, I with confusion, and he with surprise. Finally he moved his hand, put it in my hair and pulled my head down kissing me passionately on the lips. When we moved away from each other, he looked at me pushing loose strands of my hair from my eyes.

"I love you too." He said for the second time today. He really did love me. Itachi loved me. Aw… Damn it, get a grip Sasuke!

I shook my head violently. Itachi raised his eyebrow.

"What, you don't love me after all?" He said, laugher in his voice. I punched his arm playfully.

"Bastard, you know I do. You just want to hear me say it, don't you?" Itachi shrugged his shoulders.

"Well… yeah." Oh, what the hell, I might as well amuse him a little. I lay flat on him with my hands crossed on his chest. Putting my chin on them I looked at Itachi.

"I love you. I freakin love you. You, Uchiha Itachi, my brother. I love the way your body moves. I love the sound of your laugh, the way you look at me, the way your eyes shine. I even love the way you tease and smirk at me... I love the way you touch me, and how those touches make me feel. I love how you always think about me and care for me. I love you -all of you. I always have." God, if that wasn't cliché I don't know what was. But I felt like saying it and I think he really needed it. Seriously, when was the last time my brother heard something nice from someone? Beside daily 'please, fuck me' from his fan girls of course. And man, was I surprised. I didn't know I was even capable of saying the words 'I love you' so many times… Sincerely nonetheless.

"Sasuke…" Itachi's voice was full of emotions, as well as his eyes.

"Yeah?" I asked still looking at him. He didn't say anything, just put his arms around me, turned us to the side and hugged me closely.

"You should have thought before saying all those things, you know." He said, putting nuzzling his head into my hair. "Because now I'm not letting you go. Ever."

"I don't intend on going anywhere, really." I said, hugging him as well and nuzzling his chest. I would have to be insane to do that.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Aww... That was sweet, no matter how cliché XD Oh and **Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year** to you all!


	13. Art Of Truth

**"Art Of Truth"**

**CHAPTER 13**

"I'm dying…" I groaned hovering over the toilet.

"No, you're not. You just have a stomach flu." Itachi said, massaging my back gently.

"No, I'm pretty sure I'm dying, that's the tenth time today…" Was this some sort of punishment or what? Making sure I wasn't going to puke anymore, Itachi put one of his arms under my legs, another on my back and carried me to the bed.

"Rest. I'll stay with you." He said, kissing me on the forehead.

"Don't you have to go back home?" I asked, looking at him sleepily. It was about two weeks after the banquet and Itachi had spent practically all this time with me. I could only imagine what hell he would get at home when he got back.

"You don't want me here?" He asked playfully. "Because you know, I actually have no intention of going back. Ever again."

I looked at him confused and he waited patiently for me to understand.

"Oh… Oh! I'm glad you decided after all…" I smiled at him. God, I was so _happy_. "I could kiss you right now… but I won't because of obvious reasons." Itachi smirked at me, leaned down and kissed my forehead again.

"Sleep." He said again and pushed some hair out of my face.

"Mhm…" I murmured and drifted to sleep as Itachi stroked my face lovingly.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/****\/\**

I woke up a few hours later. I felt a little better… a little. Sitting up on the edge of the bed, I tried to get up but fell down immediately. God, I felt so _weak_…

Finally, after a few tries I succeed and went on shaking legs to the kitchen. Looking around I noticed that Itachi wasn't at home. I hated it when he disappeared like that. Hopefully that will change soon.

After going to the kitchen and grabbing a plain piece of bread, I went to the living room and sat on the couch with my knees pressed to my chest. I sighed tiredly and stared in front of me at nothing in particular.

While I was enjoying my slice of bread, chewing on it slowly, the door to my apartment opened and Itachi walked in with Deidara and Kisame... with boxes and bags.

They stomped into the living room and dropped everything on the floor. When they noticed me, all three of them reacted in a different way. Deidara started to giggle, Kisame looked at me weirdly and Itachi just raised his eyebrow.

"Sasuke, do you realize how miserable of a sight you are right now?" Itachi said coming over to me. I just shrugged my shoulders and looked at them with a bored expression. I was so exhausted; I didn't give a shit about anything at the moment.

"Feeling better?" Itachi asked, kissing me on the cheek. I just shrugged my shoulders again. "Not talkative, are we? Sorry I left, but I couldn't wait. I just had to bring my things over here, they were almost packed anyway."

"Get a room, will ya?" Kisame said coming to the couch and sitting on it. Deidara giggled some more and sat next to him.

"Come on, they are sweet, un! I wish I had a camera! It's such a Kodak moment!" I glared at them. "Oh, look, now he's glaring, un!"

"What is this? A game of charades or something?" I said/asked in a dull voice.

"You _do_ feel better." Itachi said smirking at me. I turned to look at him.

"What did our father say about all this?" I asked bluntly and everyone went silent. Itachi looked at me for a minute without saying anything. "Itachi, answer me, I'm _so_ not in a mood to be fucked with."

"What do you think he said Sasuke? He wasn't pleased at all and kept repeating things like: 'You failed me'." He said shrugging his shoulders.

"And what did _you_ say to that?"

"I didn't say anything, I just left. Believe it or not I feel extremely pleased with the decision I made." I smiled at him finally and leaned down kissing his lips briefly.

"I'm glad. Now bring me some more bread, I'm hungry." I said and Itachi rolled his eyes, getting up.

"Oi, Itachi. Is the kid always so bossy?" Kisame asked looking slightly amused.

"You can't even imagine." He said and smirked when he noticed the glare I sent him.

"You know, that's actually fun to see how the great Uchiha Itachi is bossed around by his little brother."

"Kisame, I'd suggest you shut up now or it will cost you dearly later." He said in a deadly voice handing me my bread, but I could hear a hint of humour in it as well.

"What are you two doing here anyway?" I asked looking at the fish guy and Deidara.

"We helped your brother to move his things. Isn't it obvious?" Kisame asked. I rolled my eyes.

"I _figured_ that much. What I meant was: what are you two _still_ doing here?" I asked, stuffing more bread into my mouth.

"He's just as rude as Itachi, I swear, un." Deidara said but smirked anyway. "Let's go Kisame. I don't know about you, but I don't want to see how they are getting at it like rabbits, un."

After Deidara and Kisame left 'wishing us luck', Itachi joined me once again on the couch, with a blanket this time. Covering us both he sat silently next to me.

"So we live together now." I said.

"Yeah." Itachi answered.

"Like a couple."

"Yeah."

"I've never lived with anyone when I was in a relationship."

"Yeah."

"But I did live with you almost my whole life." Itachi chuckled at this.

"Isn't it weird?" He asked.

"Yeah."

"We end up together after all."

"Yeah."

"It looks like no matter what happens, we are bound to be with each other."

"Yeah."

"I'm happy." He said after few minutes of silence. I looked at him.

"Yeah." I was happy. I was freakin happy…for the first time in many years. I laid my head on his shoulder and moved my body closer to his.

"I love you." Itachi whispered putting one arm around my shoulders and kissing the top of my head.

"Same here." I said yawning and intending to go to sleep in my brother's embrace, but my phone rang and Itachi leaned down to take it from the table.

"Hn?" I grunted, picking up.

"Hey Sasuke! Why so down?" I heard Naruto's loud, cheerful voice and moved the phone away from my ear.

"I'm sick. What do you want?"

"Oh, well, get better soon! Anyway I just wanted to tell you that on Saturday we are having a High School reunion!" He screamed happily. I frowned.

"Are you kidding? I'm not going anywhere."

"Oh come on, Sasuke! Everyone's gonna be there! Gaara, Neji, Kiba, Hinata, Shino, Shikamaru, Chouji, Ino, Lee, Ten Ten and Sakura!" He said in one breath. I rolled my eyes.

"You just gave me more reasons to not go…"

"It could be fun." I hear my brother's voice. Apparently Naruto was so loud even he heard the conversation.

"Whoa, hold your horses Itachi. Do you want me to bring you a dictionary? Because the last time I checked word 'fun' meant to 'enjoy something', not to 'die from boredom'." I said looking at him sceptically.

"Come on Sasuke… you'll see how people didn't succeed with their lives. How they didn't manage to accomplish their dreams. How they became fat and ugly. Pure fun." Itachi said in a voice full of passion and I have to admit I listened to him with great attention.

"Naruto, I'll go!" I said to my friend, fascinated by the vision Itachi had built before my eyes. It really _was_ going to be fun.

"Okay… Sasuke, I really don't get your definition of fun, but whatever! See you on Saturday!" The blond said and hung up. I looked at Itachi.

"This better be worth it."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

It was Saturday evening and Naruto, Sai and I had arrived outside of Kiba's house, where our class reunion was taking place.

"I regret it already…" I grunted as we got closer and heard loud screams coming from inside.

"Come on Sasuke, stop whining. It's going to be okay and at least we'll eat free food and drink alcohol." He said, patting me on the shoulder. We approached the door and rang the bell several times, but when nobody answered, we simply walked inside. Just as we entered, Kiba ran towards us.

"Finally you are here! We waited for you! …Who are you?" He asked, looking at Sai.

"That's Sai, my…" Naruto started and blushed a little. I rolled my eyes and Sai just smiled.

"His fiancée." I said for them, seeing as they didn't intend to do it. Kiba gasped and then hugged Naruto.

"Oh man! You're getting married! Wow!" He said, grinning stupidly. "Come in, come in!"

Kiba pulled us inside and guided us to the living room where everybody sat. Gaara sat on the floor with his legs crossed and looked around with a bored expression. Neji sat next to him and the moment I came in, he sent me a weird look. I just glared. Oh well, we never really liked each other because our families were always rivals. Next to the Hyuuga sat Lee trying to talk to Sakura who sat beside him with Ino. They both squealed when I came in. Geez, I thought they already got over it… Next to them sat, or rather slept Shikamaru, with Chouji and Shino. Somewhere in the back I noticed Hinata and Ten Ten as well.

"Hey guys, look who's here!" He said pushing us forward.

"Hi Sasuke-kun!" Ino and Sakura squealed in union as the others said they greetings as well. We went over to the circle and sat on the floor.

"This is Sai, he and Naruto are—"

"Let them say it, will you?" I grunted glaring at him. Today was a day I glared at everyone, I guess.

"Geez, Uchiha, pissy as ever. Okay, okay."

"Uh, man, now I'm embarrassed…" Naruto said moving his hand through his hair. "Okay, here it is: Sai and I are getting married." He proclaimed finally, smiling uneasily.

The moment he said it, all girls _and Lee_ squealed and came to congratulate them. I just observed everything in silence.

"Uchiha." My head snapped up and I saw Neji standing next to me.

"Hyuuga." I said with no emotions whatsoever. Why was he talking to me?

"Everything going well in your work?" I looked at him sceptically. _Again_, why was he talking to me?

"Why do you care?" I snapped at him.

"Just asking." He said, shrugging his shoulders. "How about your personal life?" He asked, smirking at me. "I heard some _very_ interesting rumours, you know…"

"And what might you be talking about?" I asked in a low voice trying to keep my cool. I couldn't lose it in front of him; it would only give him what he wanted.

"Oh well, nothing specific." He said, smirked once again and went to congratulate Naruto and I settled for observing him silently. When everyone was done, we sat on the floor again in a circle and Kiba handed everyone a beer.

"Okay, since we haven't seen each other in a such long time let's go round and everyone will say something about themselves. You know, where they work, if they are in a relationship… stuff like that." And so it started, Itachi was right. It was fun to listen, since most of them didn't succeed with achieving what they wanted.

Shino, Kiba and Chouji worked in some restaurant, go figure. Shikamaru in a company that specialized in modern devices. Hyuuga in his father's company, Gaara was a therapist. Weird enough. Ten Ten worked as a yoga instructor, Lee did something connected with sports as well and Hinata stayed at home and represented the Hyuuga family when needed. Sakura was a secretary…. in your face, bitch. I always wished her the worst… yeah, I know, that's cruel but she always was so persisted and got on my last nerves. Ino was a lawyer. She was/is a fan girl as well, but somehow I always liked her better than her pinked haired friend. She seemed more; dare I say it, intelligent and useful?

"And we are both single, Sasuke-kun." Girls said in union and I rolled my eyes.

"Forget it, Sasuke's in a relationship." Naruto said smirking and I slapped my forehead. I wanted to keep it a secret, but whatever.

I looked at everyone and they stared at me with their eyes wide and mouth open.

"What?" I asked. Was this so weird? Then again, maybe it was…

"I. Can't Believe. It." Kiba choked. "Uchiha's in a relationship? Like with another _living_ person? Who wanted that bastard anyway?" He said, smiling cockily, I just glared, again.

"Oh, believe it or not, but Sasuke has _changed._ Well, he is still a bastard and a jerk… but he changed."

"So _how_ did he change?" Neji asked, smirking at me and looking damn proud of himself about something.

"No, Sasuke-kun! How is this possible, what about us?" Ino and Sakura screamed looking horrified. "Who is she?"

"Who is _he._" Naruto corrected giggling slightly. I hit him on the shoulder and sent him a death glare.

"What Uchiha, doesn't feel like sharing with us?" Neji asked.

"Not really." I just grunted.

"So maybe you will tell us what you do for a living? Because I doubt that you are working for your father…" What _was_ his point? I had a bad feeling…

"Why Neji, I see you are awfully interested in my life. You even checked a few things before coming here… are you stalking me or something? Cause you know, I already have someone and I'm _so sorry_ to let you down." I said with sarcasm and glared directly at him. Neji frowned and everyone went silent, sensing the tension between us.

"Fuck you, Uchiha." He said, grimacing. Being gay was always his weak point. He always knew about his sexuality, and we knew as well, but he had to keep it hidden from the rest of the world in a fear of his father's reaction.

"I'm _flattered_, but no, thanks. Like I said before I have someone else doing that." Now he was furious.

"Oh, _I bet you do_." He said through gritted teeth. I blinked at him. He didn't know about Itachi and me… did he?

"Eh, guys…" Kiba cut in uncertainly. "Maybe we should move on…"

"Right!" Naruto said, immediately catching on. "So Sai, Sasuke and I opened an Art Studio!" he said and the conversation went on. I was glad but still glared at Neji, who glared at me as well. It wasn't over yet.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A few hours later I was exploring Kiba's house and trying my best to avoid Sakura and Ino, everyone was already drunk and were dancing or doing _something __else_ in the living room.

I decided to walk around a little since there was nothing more interesting to do. Entering one of the rooms, I was shocked to see Neji there.

My first reaction was to turn around and disappear…

"Uchiha." But unfortunately he had noticed me already. I turned to look at him. He just smirked coming over to me and I could clearly smell alcohol from him. "Tell me, _Sasuke_… do you enjoy when your own _brother_ is fucking you?" Right. I knew nothing good would come out of this.

"And just what does it matters to you, _Neji_?" I said, trying really hard to stay calm.

"Just curious… It _must be_ _good_, your brother always seemed like a very skillful one when it came to such matters." Okay, I've had enough. He can insult me, but he certainly won't insult Itachi. I jumped forward and grabbed his collar, punching his face with my other hand. Neji kicked my stomach with his knee and I hit his face once again pushing him into wall. We fought for a few more minutes until Naruto and Kiba ran into the room disturbed by the noises.

"Sasuke!" Naruto screamed and pulled me to him, while Kiba held Neji. "What happened?"

I glared at Neji daring him to say anything and wiped some blood from my lips. He stayed silent and just cleaned his face as well.

"Man, what a mess." Kiba said, looking around. Yeah, I guess we destroyed a few things while fighting…

"I'll cover for it." Neji said nonchalantly and I just rolled my eyes. Fucking aristocrat.

"Nah, that's cool. I didn't even like those things." Kiba answered laughing. "Okay, let's go Neji." He added after a minute and took the Hyuuga out of the room.

"Sasuke, what happened?" Naruto asked me again.

"What do you think? Haven't you noticed how he has been behaving all evening?" I said and Naruto nodded. "Exactly. Anyway, I'm going home." I said and left. More troubles, just what I needed.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

After entering my apartment and taking my coat off I went straight to the living room and sat on the couch sighing tiredly. Itachi was nowhere in sight, probably already sleeping.

"Sasuke?" Then again maybe not… "What happened to you, you look like shit." He said standing in front of me in only his pyjamas and looking at me weirdly. Yeah, I bet I looked shit. Bleeding lip and a brow, a few cuts here and there and big bruises on my cheek and forehead. "I thought you went to the class meeting, not a Fight Club."

"Ha-ha. Very funny Itachi, _very funny_, laugh all you want but _know _that I was defending your honour… and mine."

"Okay. Just let me get a first aid kit and you're gonna tell me everything." He said and came back a few minutes later. Sitting next to me and taking some plasters and a swab, he started to clean my wounds gently.

"So? What happened?"

"Neji knows." I said sighing.

"Who knows what?" Itachi asked confused.

"Hyuuga Neji knows that we are together." I said, rephrasing the sentence. Itachi looked at me surprised.

"How did he find out and how do you know?"

"No idea and he told me." Itachi nodded his head and thought for a moment.

"You think he will tell anyone?"

"To be honest… I don't think so." Itachi looked at me questioningly. "Well, for starters he didn't say anything about telling anyone. He had a great opportunity to announce it to everyone who was there as well, since I pissed him off quite seriously... And I don't think he really has any proof, he looked quite uncertain at first."

"Until you hit him and showed that indeed, there was something going on."

"I hit him when he insulted you, not when he asked if it was nice to be fucked by you." I said looking at Itachi confidently. He just smirked and leaned to kiss my lips lightly.

"My hero." He said in a serious voice and burst out laughing a second later. I hit his shoulder.

"You were supposed to be proud of me, not laugh." I said but smirked as well. When Itachi calmed down finally, he looked at me.

"No seriously, I'm flattered." He said leaning again and kissing my forehead this time. "You'll get your reward later."

"Good. Cause I think I deserve it." I said smirking with my arms crossed. "Anyway there's one more reason why I think he will keep his mouth shut."

"Oh? And that is?"

"You know how the Hyuuga family is. They are just as traditional as our family, if not more… and Neji's gay. I know that he had a few interesting adventures and that he _still_ has them, so if any of it would slip to his father and it would, if he told anything about us, he would be screwed. He knows it all perfectly well too."

"Now I'm proud of you. You truly are my brother." He said with a smug look.

"Gee, thanks… But you know there's more and more problems with every passing day. First Sasori, now Neji… I don't even want to think about how it will be when our father finds out, because he _will _sooner or later." Itachi looked at me closely, finishing dressing my wounds. When he put everything away he grabbed my hands and stroked them gently.

"Sasuke, don't even worry about that. Sasori won't say a word and not because I beat him. I just know him better and I'm sure that he's just amused by our reactions, nothing more. He is simply sadistic that way. About Neji, I'm sure as well that you are right, he has too much to lose and too little to gain. Especially seeing as it won't do any harm to you, since you don't work for our father's company. And about our father… we will think about that when the time comes, really." The last part wasn't too convincing, but I didn't want to worry about that anyway. I leaned down and kissed my brother's lips putting my hands around his neck.

"Okay, let's leave it… because now is the time for you to kiss me better." I said and looked at him with a smile. He smiled as well and leaned down kissing my wounds gently.

"Better?"

"Yeah… but you know what would made me feel even better?"

"Hn?"

"You in a nurse outfit." Itachi glared at me.

"Any more wishes?" He asked with a raised brow.

"Just one." I said, leaning down and licking his lips while moving my hands along his chest and tracing all of his muscle with the tips of my fingers. He got the message instantly.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

A few weeks later it was almost the end of the December and Christmas and New Year were coming closer and closer. Of course seeing as I worked in an Art Studio I didn't have any holidays, since we were literally flooded in tons of offers to organize banquets and such.

"Okay Sasuke, see you on Sunday evening!" Naruto shouted when we left our Studio on Friday evening, I just nodded in agreement, because on the 24th we had to be at a banquet Naruto, Sai and I decided to have our Christmas Eve the day before in my apartment. Since I left my home after High School I always spent Christmas together with Sai and Naruto. This way none of us would be alone during that day, and with time it became sort of our tradition. This year Itachi was joining us, _thankfully_, as well as Deidara, Sasori and Kisame. Itachi invited them seeing as Deidara was always alone during Christmas as well, Sasori actually changed his behaviour and since he got together with Deidara, he would come anyway and Kisame had nothing better to do.

Yeah, this was going to be one hell of a Christmas…

After finally arriving home and entering my apartment, I smelled something strange, kinda like a tree… Going straight to the living room I saw a _big_ Christmas tree, Itachi crouching in front of it in a red hat… the kind that Santa Claus wears…

"You've got to be kidding me…" I said, looking from Itachi to the tree. Seriously, the word 'strange' didn't even begin to cover it…

"You mean this tree or my hat?" Itachi said turning to look at me with the most innocent expression ever. Right, innocent _my ass_…

"You're aware of it and still wear that hat? Itachi, what happened?" I asked in a truly concerned voice, sitting on the couch and observing my brother. "How did you even get this thing inside, it's _huge_."

"Deidara and Kisame helped me. Seeing as we will spend this Christmas together and they just refused to do it without a Christmas tree... that's where my hat came from, Deidara made me wear it." Itachi answered and came to sit next to me, kissing me on the lips briefly.

"Well, I don't see him anywhere around, why are you still wearing it?" I asked and looked at him suspiciously. Itachi smirked.

"It's quite comfortable, you know..." He said, took it off and placed on my head instead. I glared at him. "No really, I'm serious." He added and laughed at my expression.

"Anyway, you want to dress the tree? I'm not sure I'm mentally ready to do that..." He said, looking at the tree with the most serious expression ever.

"Hell no!" I almost screamed. "I don't even have the decorations and such, they are in Naruto's house since I simply refused to keep them."

"Oh well, then we will call him and ask to come over. I'm sure he will be more than willing to do it..." Itachi said, putting his arms around my waist and pushed me down, lying on top of me. "I kinda have other things in mind..."

I smirked, putting my hands around his neck and moving my hips under him a little. Itachi's face hovered above mine for a moment before he leaned down and started to kiss my cheeks and neck gently.

"Does that hat turn you on so much?" I asked, enjoying the sensation his butterfly kisses gave me. Itachi chuckled lightly.

"Mhm... Maybe..." He said, smirking at me in return. Suddenly his expression changed, from happy and content to down and upset.

"Something wrong?" I asked, concerned about his behaviour. Itachi's eyes lingered at my face for a minute longer before he sat back up and sighed tiredly.

"I forgot to tell you something important..." Now I also sat up and put a hand on his shoulder. This whole situation felt weird... "Our father talked with me today. He wants us _both_ to come to our house and talk with him about _something_..."

I gaped at Itachi. Was that it? Did he finally find out? I don't know why, but I didn't fell half as bad as I expected I

would. I was glad actually, glad that we finally had a chance to put an end to this constant worrying about him and his reaction.

Itachi, on the other hand, looked more worried than I. Not that I could blame him, really... but he wasn't going to give up now, was he?

I got slightly worried at that thought. Moving my hand I grabbed his chin gently and made him look at me.

"I think we both know what it is that he wants to talk with us about... Itachi, just tell me this, are you 100 percent sure this is what you want?" I asked, not really wanting to hear the answer. I should have more trust in him, really, but I just couldn't shake off this feeling of insecurity...

"Sasuke..." Itachi said after a moment, probably finally realizing what I meant. Looking me firmly in the eyes, it was now him holding my chin. "_Don't doubt me_. I want to be with you no matter what. If that means that I have to stop seeing or talking with our father, or even that I have to leave the company... I'll do it."

I was glad to hear those words. Itachi smiled delicately and put his forehead to mine, grabbing my hands and holding them with his.

"You were right. Nothing holds me in this company anymore and nothing binds me to our father. I could do so many other things, things that I actually _want_ to do." Itachi squeezed my hands. "You're everything that I want and I won't let him do anything to us_, ever_. Because I'm happier like this, right now with you than I ever have been in my entire life."

God, I don't think I've ever heard something more beautiful... If I wasn't who I was, I would probably burst into tears at his declaration. Instead I smirked a little, but not in an unpleasant way.

"My, Itachi, I didn't know you had such a soft side." Itachi smiled as well.

"Heh. I didn't know either." He said and leaned down to capture my lips with his own. When we separated after the mind-blowing kiss he looked at me with half serious, half playful expression. "But it's only for you."

"Well, I certainly hope it is. Anyway, I'd rather have this conversation with our father _before_ Christmas. It will ruin everything otherwise."

"I agree." Itachi said and lay down on his back, pulling me on top of him. "Tomorrow then?"

"Yeah." I said, putting my head on his chest and entwining our fingers. "Tomorrow."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Sasasa… more troubles! XD Itachi in a nurse outfit… I would give so much to see that... Anyway, in the next chapter: long awaited encounter with their father! ...And Christmas Eve, sort of XD

And WOW, from 126 reviews to 142... I LOVE you! XD

PS. Some time ago I watched trailer for "Final Fantasy Versus XIII" and thought I'll share with you about this, since in my opinion the main character looks exactly like Sasuke, just in HD XD And I guess that Sasuke fans who are reading this story, would like to see it XD Some people say that they aren't that similar... but anyway, trust me on this – he is worth seeing XD So, you may want to see the trailer or just search him through Google Images... He doesn't have a name yet, so just type the title of the game.


	14. Art Of Choice

"**Art Of Choice "**

**CHAPTER 14**

"Ready?" Itachi asked, looking at the wide, solid door in front of us.

"Only if you're ready." I said, shrugging my shoulders. Here we were, in front of our family house, minutes away from facing our father... and I was surprisingly _calm_. I thought that I would be more nervous, really. After all I was going to face the source of all my sorrows, speaking epically. But I didn't give a shit, really. Maybe because I knew that I already won and that he really can't do a damn thing to us.

"Okay." Itachi said finally and squeezed my hand one last time before letting go and opening the door.

When we were inside, we were greeted by one of our family servants that took our coats and said that Uchiha Fugaku was waiting for us in his office. Without further delay, we went straight there. I really wanted to make this quick and concrete, it's not like we had anything to discuss.

"Good evening father." Itachi said as we entered the office. I didn't say anything and neither did he, as he just sat behind his desk, looking at us seriously. After a minute of silence and glances exchanged between us, he gestured for us to sit down on the chairs in front of him.

Again, none of us spoke. Itachi sat stiffly in his chair, while I looked around with slightly a bored expression. Finally, our father couldn't take it anymore. Choosing to ignore me, despite the fact that he actually invited me as well, he looked at Itachi.

"Itachi, I believe this it is high time for you to stop fooling around." He started, his voice dangerous and firm. "I gave you enough time as it is. I really believed that you would come to your senses on your own, but I see it's no good. He really has corrupted you." Fugaku said and I snorted at the last part... at the general speech actually. Our father glanced at me when he heard the noise.

"Yes, this is all your fault. I really don't care what you do with your life anymore, but the things you did to your brother..." His voice trailed off, not wanting to finish the sentence. I raised my eyebrow and dared him to say more. I really wasn't going to make this easy on him, even if I knew exactly what he meant. He however looked at me angrily and moved his eyes to Itachi, who sat observing everything silently.

"What are you getting at, father?" He asked, his voice indifferent and I was somehow proud of his behaviour. Smiling slightly I grabbed his hand in a way that our father couldn't see and squeezed it gently. Itachi squeezed it back and looked at our father, whose face grew more furious. Gee, he wasn't exactly doing great job of hiding his emotions...

"You know what I'm getting at." He growled, and before we could say anything more, he threw some pictures on the table in front of us. Itachi merely glanced at them, already guessing what was on them. I, however, took my time examining them.

One of them portrayed Itachi and I walking on the street, holding hands and looking at each other smiling gently. The other was taken in front of my Art Studio, as Itachi stood next to his car and greeted me with a kiss on the lips. There were many, _many_ others, but all of them showed me and my brother kissing, hugging or holding hands... now, I wasn't surprised at all that our father hired a private detective. I almost expect him to do something like that. What I was more surprised about was that we actually had so many moments like this, while we always tried to behave ourselves and not show affection openly...

"Can I keep them?" I asked out of the blue. Our father looked at me shocked and disgusted, while Itachi tried to hide his amusement and smirk that was going to appear any minute on his face. "What?" I asked, looking at my brother. "They are kinda cool, it's not easy to capture a moment like that." I said, showing him the picture with us on the street.

"Yeah, you're right..." Itachi said, giving up and smirking finally. Our little moment was disturbed however by our father when he hit the desk with his clenched fist.

"What do you think you are doing?! Acting so carefree and casually about this! This is a great dishonor; you have to stop at once! You are brothers for God's sake!" He said, well, screamed in fury. I sighed. It was the high time we ended this; we had spent too much time here as it was.

"Listen." I said quietly, but something in my voice made him look at me with surprise. "Anything you say or do won't change the fact that we are together. _As lovers_. If we decide to break up, it will be entirely our decision, not connected with what you think or want _in __the __slightest. _Really, do you think he stays with me only because I blackmail him or something? No, I'm _not_ like _you._ We do what we want, live our lives and you really should accept that _finally_." I got up and started to gather the photos.

"Did you really expect us to end this just because you said so?" I asked, looking at him directly. He stood up as well and his eyes had a dangerous glint.

"If you won't end this... this _thing_ instantly, I'll—"

"_You will what?_ Report us to policy? You know that _incest is legal_ in Japan, they won't do a thing. Or maybe you intend to give those photos to the press? But then it would only harm you, right? Your company would suffer a great deal and all your '_friends_' would turn away from you. We would be left unaffected, since mine and Itachi's friends already know about this and _don't care_ and I have my own job which, ironically, would only gain from an announcement like this." Wow, that came out smooth. Now that I think about it, I don't know what I was so afraid of; he really _couldn't do a thing_. Then again, maybe I was more afraid of Itachi's reaction, not our father's.

I looked at my brother and was glad to notice the smooth look on his face. I think he had finally loosened up a bit and saw a point in what I was saying. Itachi got up as well when he saw that I was ready to go.

"Itachi! Don't you have anything to say?! _Think!_ Think what you are doing! It will ruin your life!"

"Father." Itachi said sighing, almost like trying to explain something really simple to a child who _just wouldn't get it_. "I really can't add anything since I agree with everything Sasuke has just said. You should have stopped barging into our lives _years_ ago. I personally think that it's not worth loosing contact with your only two sons, but it's your decision, and you made it clear long ago."

When he was finished, we turned away and headed to the door. However, when we were just about to go out, Itachi stopped and turned to look at our father once again.

"...It's not ruining my life. I _was _ruining it when I was listening to you all those years and tried to satisfy you and this family." Itachi said, his voice low and dangerous. It surprised even me. "It was always only you and our clan. Everything you or I ever did was for the sake of it. _And for what?_ So we could hold our name and be proud of it? _So we could be better than others?_ Open your eyes; you're blinded by your own, sick fantasy. This whole family, it means _nothing_. It means nothing because the only thing it ever brought to its members is bitterness and sorrow."

With that, he turned away and the room, deadly aura surrounding him. Hell, I was shocked. I had never heard him speak like that to our father and, most of all, I never thought he had such thoughts about our family... not that I didn't agree with him, but he must have thought about it a long time ago, I doubt he came up with this just now.

I quickly followed my brother out of the room, trying to catch up with him. When I finally did, before I had a chance to say anything, our mother appeared in front of us. She looked at us in silence for a minute and then hugged us both at the same time.

"I'm happy for you." She said and let us go, smiling slightly and kissing our cheeks. Itachi smiled back and I looked shocked at her before doing that as well.

"Thanks." I said, as she disappeared again in the hallways. "That was random..."

"Let's go." Itachi said, grabbing my hand and pulling us outside. I blinked. He was acting weird, really. I didn't say anything, though, at least not until we got into his car and drove home.

"So..." I started uncertainly, glancing at Itachi. His eyes were fixed on the road and he hadn't said anything since we left our house. "You think that's it?"

"...I hope so." He said, and I was glad to notice that despite his emotionless face, his voice was fairly gentle.

"You know, I never realized you thought that way about our family." I said after a few minutes of silence and waited for his reaction.

"I do." Was all he said.

"Well, it's not like I don't agree with you, because that _is_ the truth... It's just, I don't know, kinda rough... And the way you said it..." Really, I wasn't sure what I was talking about and what my point was. It's just the way Itachi acted back there made me think that there is a big part of him that I don't really know... And even if that thought somehow frightened me, I still knew that no matter what my brother did or said I would always be on his side, always somehow connected with him... which actually frightened me even more...

"Heh, did I scare you little brother?" He said, glancing at me and smirking in amusement. I glared at him, but it lacked something and he noticed that I was serious. "You know Sasuke... I'm glad you noticed those things about our family and our father so long ago, and that you did what you did. Because if you hadn't back then, I think it would be too late for you now... they really had too big an influence over you."

"Gee, you think?" I asked sarcastically. "It's ironic actually, because if you hadn't left me I would have never moved out and right now both of us would probably be stuck in his company fulfilling his every freakin' wish."

"I know." Itachi said quietly with a serious, almost grim face. I blinked at him. Wait a minute...

"Wha—What?!" I asked in shock, as the realization came down on me. Itachi however didn't look at me; he just got out of the car since we were home. Quickly I did the same and followed him to the elevator. "Itachi!"

"Wait." He said calmly, sighing deeply. I didn't really like the idea nor did I like the fact that he was ordering me around, but he _was_ right...

The moment we entered our apartment and took our coats off, I looked at my brother expectedly, scowling and folding my arms together. He gave me a strange look and grabbed my arm, pulling me to the living room.

"So you lied to me." I said in an accusing tone, glaring firmly at my brother who was sitting on the couch in front of me. Itachi lifted one eyebrow as he observed my posture. "You didn't agree to help him because you thought he would leave me alone, you did it because it would make me go against him."

"I didn't lie to you, Sasuke. My first thought was that our father really would have left you alone if I had agreed to help him, which was stupid of me, I know." Itachi shook his head slightly. "To actually believe that... Anyway, you know how I am; I just had to think about something else, just in case. So I figured that if he still insists on you joining the company, you'll go against him since you are so stubborn and will want to prove to me how wrong I was... if I avoided and ignored you enough that is."

"So if everything you're saying is the truth and you never felt any kind of connection with our clan... then why did it take you so long to move out of our family home and talk openly with our father?"

"Well, despite what I thought about them I still felt somehow responsible for this whole company. I worked in it for almost my whole life... and it did seem easier that way."

Itachi said and looked at me with his eyes betraying nothing but sincere feelings. I sighed and closed my eyes for a moment. Seriously, that smartass. I wasn't really mad at him, I just wished that, damn it, he would have told me that. Moving closer to him I put my arms around his neck and let him hug me around the waist.

"You're lucky I'm so tired I don't have the strength to be mad at you... but seriously, is there anything more you aren't telling me?" I asked, moving my hand through his hair gently. Itachi lifted his head after kissing my stomach briefly.

"I can't think of anything right now..." He said and smirked as I sent him a glare. It didn't last long though, as his face went serious again.

"You know Sasuke... this influence they had over you, I know I had something,to do with it I don't regret my past actions, _although_ I might have done some things in a different way... in a way that wouldn't make us not speak to each for so long..." Itachi said as I put my forehead to his. "This family, the whole Uchiha clan lost its true purpose and meaning a long time ago, long before we were even born. The members of our family took the wrong path, did things, which shouldn't have been done..., and everything for 'the Clan'. It's not worth it, it really isn't... and I don't see why we should pay for their mistakes. I realized this years ago, that there was no future for us there..."

"You could have just told me, you know. I really _can_ see your point." I said, as I thought about everything Itachi had just said. I really didn't know what 'the true purpose' of our family and such was, but I knew that we weren't really all saints.

"Sasuke, you think you would have _really_ listened to me? Despite the fact that you were so fascinated by me, you _still_ wanted to impress our father the most. It was the only way to snap you out of it, or at least it was the best idea I had back then." He said finishing his explanation and we looked at each other in silence. Damn, I really had a fucked up family... but seriously, I was glad everything was clean now.

"I'm so tired..." I said and sighed, resting my head on Itachi's shoulder.

"So you're not angry? You won't say anything like: no sex for a week?" Itachi asked and I could hear slight amusement in his voice.

"Mhm, we both know I wouldn't last _that_ long..." I said and Itachi laughed a little, getting up.

"Want me to carry you?"

"Yes, please." I said with mock politeness and yawned. Itachi chuckled again and picked me up, putting one hand under my knees and one on my back. When we were in a bedroom he took my clothes off, then his and laid next to me, covering us with a duvet. The moment he did that I turned onto my side and put my head on his shoulder as well as my arm around his waist. Itachi hugged me as well, putting one hand in my hair and massaging my scalp gently.

"Love you..." I murmured, before drifting into a peaceful sleep.

"Same here." He answered, sighing contently. "Same here..."

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"You said all those things to your father?" Kisame asked, looking at Itachi in disbelief. It was Sunday evening – our Christmas Eve- and Itachi, Naruto, Sai, Deidara, Kisame, Sasori and I were all sitting in my apartment at the table, eating and talking.

"So what does it mean, un, that you're leaving your father's company?" Deidara asked my brother, also amused by the story I just told.

"No, I won't leave unless my father wants me to... for now at least." Itachi said and leaned back in his chair.

"Wow, you guys really had an eventful weekend." Naruto said after laughing a bit at our father's reaction. "Can I see the pictures?"

"Sure." I said, rolling my eyes and handing him the photos.

"Oi, they are quite good actually, especially that one." Naruto said, showing the picture of Itachi and I on the street. "It's hard to capture such a moment!"

"My words exactly." I said, and took out the envelope from my pocket. "Anyway, Sai, Naruto, your wedding is in two weeks right?"

"Yeah. We already have places booked for a plane and a hotel... everything's set." Naruto said looking at Sai and smiling gently. Because gay marriages weren't legal in Japan, they decided to go to Europe and do it there.

I nodded my head.

"But you still don't have anything for the honeymoon, right?"

"Ah, well, you see... this whole trip to Europe took all our budget... so we just figured—"

"That's what I thought." I said, standing up and handing them an envelope. "This is your Christmas present from me and Itachi. It's a two-week trip to Hawaii. You have everything paid for, the hotel, plane, trips... everything. " Naruto looked at me in shock.

"But Sasuke... we can't take it... it must have cost a fortune, I'm sure..." I rolled my eyes at my blond friend's hesitation.

"Dobe, it doesn't matter how much we paid for this. This is our present for you so don't ask questions and just take it. You deserve it, really." I said and literally pushed the envelope into Naruto's hand.

"Thanks Sasuke..." Naruto looked like he was on verge of crying. "But what about the Studio?"

"Don't worry, everything is covered already. Itachi and Deidara agreed to help me while your gone." I said, sitting on my chair and putting my hand on Itachi's thigh out of pure habit. Naruto looked even more touched at this.

"Damn... thank you, guys... really, how can we repay you—"

"You don't have to, un!" Deidara cut in. "This is your present, something like this happens once in a lifetime! Or so I wish you, un." He said and everyone chuckled. "So make the best of it... oh, and don't do _it_ on the beach, the sand gets stuck in the weirdest of places, I tell you..."

After that we sat at the table some more, then everyone got their presents. Around midnight Naruto and Sai left, followed by Deidara, Sasori and Kisame. When I closed the door after our guests I went straight to the bedroom and collapsed heavily on the bed. God, it was tiring, even if it was fun at the same time...

"Tired much?" Itachi asked, coming into the bedroom as well after taking quick shower.

"Hn..." I just grunted. Itachi walked over to the bed and after thinking about something, he sat on my lower back. A moment after that I felt his slender fingers moving along my back, first gently smoothing it, later with more strength. God, that felt awesome... I was glad I had such talented brother...

"Feeling better?"

"Hell yes..." I said and felt Itachi lowering his head and kissing my back in several places. Then he moved his lips to my neck and sucked on it, as I moved my head to the side a little, giving him more space. "I would have sex with you right now, really... but I'm too tired..." I said, already half asleep. Itachi chuckled.

"Don't worry, I'm too tired as well." He said, and rolled off me. After getting us under a duvet, he put his arm around my waist and pulled me to him. "Night 'suke..." Itachi mumbled to my ear.

"Night..." I mumbled as well before drifting into dreamland. What a hell of a nice Christmas...

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

I got up the next day early, hurrying to the Studio, seeing as it was the real Christmas today and we had to attend a banquet. Driving quickly through the streets of Tokyo I arrived at the Studio and noticed that Naruto and Sai were already there. Going inside, I went straight to my desk and sat down, noticing that only Naruto was in the room currently.

"Oh, hey Sasuke!" Naruto said, greeting me. Then he handed me an envelope. "This is for you."

I took the letter from him and examined it. Why was it sent here instead of my home address I had no idea, but opened it anyway... and gaped at what I found inside.

A very famous and prestigious Art Studio from Italy was offering me _work_. They had seen my works somewhere and since they made it a point to invest in new, young individualists, they wanted me. _Me_. I couldn't believe this. Sometimes it took a whole lifetime to get such an opportunity... and they were giving it to me now...

"What is that?" Naruto asked after seeing my shock. I handed him the letter without saying anything. After he took it and read it through once, his mouth fell open as well. "Wow, Sasuke... that's... that's wonderful! Do you realize what opportunities you will have while working with them? The whole world will know about you!"

Naruto proclaimed happily, but his face fell after a minute when he realized the same thing I had just realized.

"Yeah... but that means..." I said looking at him. Naruto looked at me as well, sadness written all over his face.

"...That you will have to leave... most likely forever..." He finished for me. We stared at each other in silence. I couldn't process that through my brain, really. I was supposed to leave everything? This city, this country, all my friends... Itachi...

"Itachi..." I said aloud, thinking about my brother, my lover.

"You know he won't go with you..." Naruto said, even more down. I looked away from him and gritted my teeth.

"Yeah, I know..." I said, squeezing the envelope I still had in my hand and looking at the rising sun. There was no life for him there, only for me.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** Now, Sasuke, what will you do... Sasasasa... XD

Anyway, I need to say that the **NEXT CHAPTER** is going to be **THE LAST**. I feel that with the next one I will be done with describing Sasuke's and Itachi's relationship completely and there will be nothing more to add, really.

I want to say that I started a **NEW** fan fiction as well**, Sasuke** **x Naruto, Itachi x Deidara** this time! The title is **"Six Feet Under"**, rated M of course XD romance/angst/humour. The **first chapter is already up** so be sure to check it if you're interested!


	15. Art Of Love

**"Art Of Love"**

**CHAPTER 15**

World was a sad place. Full of broken hopes, shattered dreams and forgotten ambitions... what a sad and pitiful place indeed...

"Sasuke... Oi, Sasuke?" Naruto shook my shoulder lightly and my head snapped up to look at him.

"Hn?" I grunted, glancing into his worried eyes. "No, I haven't decided yet." I added, already knowing what this was about. Naruto bit his lip slightly.

"Sasuke... you know you've got only a week more." The blond said. Yeah, I knew it God damn well. Strange enough, my possible leaving was right before the day Naruto and Sai were leaving to Europe to get married... which meant I wouldn't be able to go with them as well. I felt really bad about it, letting Naruto down in a moment like this, but as he said earlier, my presence at his wedding couldn't decide about my future and he _was_ right. "You haven't told Itachi yet, have you?"

I sighed in frustration, running a hand through my hair.

"No, Naruto, I haven't." I said, slightly irritated. "What is the point of telling him if I decide not to go?" Seriously, why worry him?

"Yeah well... but what if you decide to go after all? You're gonna tell him in the last moment, just before leaving forever?" Naruto asked, raising an eyebrow and I had to admit that he _was_ right... but I just couldn't bring myself to do it. God, how could I look straight into his eyes after all we've been through and tell I was leaving to go some place on the other side of the Earth? The only logical solution in this situation was not to leave at all, but this proposition _was_ extremely tempting, it was a once in a lifetime thing...

"Ugh, I just don't know what to do." I said, closing my eyes tightly and thinking about all of this for God knows which time this day. Seriously, I had never been so lost in my entire life.

"We've been over this Sasuke..." Naruto said, his voice gentle. "I can't tell you what to do, you know your options very well, the only thing that's left is to decide... and I trust you'll do the right thing."

"Tch, what is the right thing?" I asked, looking at him sceptically. Was there even such a thing as _the right thing_ in this situation?

"Oh, I think you know what I'm talking about..." I looked at my blond friend again. Yeah, I bet he wanted me to stay with Itachi. After all, for him the thing that mattered the most were the people you are with, not career and such. "And you know what? I think you know that that's the right thing to do as well."

I glanced at him in wonder, as he turned around and gathered his things before saying goodbye and leaving. Yeah, the right thing to do... just, should I do the _right thing_ or the _thing I really want_ to do?

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"I'm home." I said without enthusiasm after entering my apartment. Taking my coat off, I headed to the living room only to find my brother in the kitchen, preparing our meal.

"You don't sound too happy." He said after turning around and looking at me with an arched eyebrow. I looked at him closely. There was something different in his eyes, something more beside the usual humour and amusement... something like expectation. I shrugged my shoulders; I really didn't feel like dwelling on it right now _or ever_.

"Tired." I said simply and wanted to sit on the couch, but changed my mind at the hurt look he gave me. God, he almost looked at me like he knew about everything... but it just _wasn't_ possible, I never brought the letter back home and he hadn't been in my Studio since it came.

Smirking lightly, I came to stand behind him and put my arms around his waist, putting my cheek on his back.

"How was work?" I asked, stroking his stomach with my fingers lightly.

"Hm... the usual. Father ignores me all the time and sends me those disapproving looks." He said, shrugging his shoulders and doing something with the food he was preparing, before turning around in my embrace and putting his arms around my neck loosely.

"Well, at least he didn't do anything stupid. He _does_ think sometimes after all." I said, scoffing slightly. I could tell my brother was still bothered by our father's behaviour... _very_ slightly, but still.

"Heh." Itachi said while smirking and leaning down only to capture my lips in a soft kiss. "I don't feel like talking about our father right now..."

"Some _big __brother_ you are..." I said, smirking as well and leaning to kiss him again, this time more passionately. Pulling his hands from around my neck, Itachi put them into my hair, bringing our faces even closer and slipping his tongue inside my mouth.

"Mhm..."I moaned lightly, but then something inside me told me to pull away... and that's what I did. "Wait..." I said, licking my lips quickly and looking away. God, it felt so wrong for some reason. To do this, it was almost like giving him the false hope... wait, it kinda sounded like I already decided on what to do...

"Sasuke?" Itachi asked frowning. I moved my head up, took one glance at his warily watching eyes and quickly turned my head away once again.

"Sorry..." I whispered very quietly. Seriously, what I was supposed to say? I just hoped he didn't get the wrong idea like I was seeing someone else or something...

There was an awkward silence between us for the next few minutes until Itachi sighed and crossed his arms over his chest.

"When were you going to tell me?" He asked, his voice patient. My eyes went wide, as I looked at him.

"Tell you? Tell you what?" I asked, words coming out form my mouth at the unnatural speed and with fake confusion. So he _did_ know after all? But how, damn it...

"Sasuke please." He said, making a face and looking at me with an arched brow. "It's bad enough you didn't tell me the moment you received this proposition, so at least stop pretending now."

I opened and closed my mouth several times, looking at him in pure shock. Right, leave it to my brother to know utterly everything...

"But...how?" I asked finally and Itachi sighed.

"Naruto." My brother said and I felt a sudden wave of anger. "Don't be angry at him, it's a good thing he did that, he knows you too well. He realized very well that you weren't going to tell me anything until the very last moment."

"Right..." I said, looking away. I was both angry with him and glad that he did that... but my brother sure put one hell of an act, pretending not to know about anything all this time. Not that I should be surprised, it's not like it was the first time.

"So... what are you going to do?" Itachi asked after the next few seconds of silence. I forced myself to look at him and damn, was he scary. All calm, even emotionless... which, ironically, only proved how much he cared.

"I..." I started, not really knowing what to say. "I haven't decided yet."

Itachi just nodded his head at that, almost like expecting such an answer. God, sometimes while talking with my brother I get this feeling that he already knows everything I am going to say and my presence there was actually needless.

"It gives you great opportunities, that's what you wanted all your life right?" He asked and I nodded uncertainly. "But I won't be able to follow you there."

"Yeah..." I said almost inaudibly while he observed me, his expression not changing even one bit.

"So, I'm the only thing that holds you back." I opened my mouth to say something, it was such a harsh way to put it... but nothing came out. Itachi smiled sadly. "You know I'm right."

Gritting my teeth as my eyes started to sting I stepped forward and rested my forehead on his chest. Why did everything always have to be so hard? Why did everything have to happen at the least appropriate time? Somewhere in the back of my mind I even started to think that it was a bad thing Itachi suddenly came back into my life... it would be so much easier without it. I would just pack my bags then and leave without second a thought whatsoever...

"I think you should go." Itachi said suddenly and my head snapped up. No, he wasn't looking at me with cold eyes or the emotionless face... he was actually smiling, the most genuine smile I've ever seen on his face. This only made my stomach twist painfully. "I don't want you to think later on that because of me you lost your opportunity. You would come to hate me someday at this point... and I don't think I could deal with that, _again_."

"Itachi..." I said, hugging him tightly and putting my wet face against his chest. "But are you going to be alright? I don't want to leave you here all alone..."

"Sasuke." Itachi said and I could tell he rolled his eyes. "I'm a big boy, remember? I won't be alone, there's Deidara, Kisame, Sasori and Naruto and Sai of course. I think I'll manage... somehow."

There was only a silence after that. I wasn't able to say anything more... and I think he wasn't as well.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

"So that's it?" Naruto asked as we stood on the airport, his face dull.

"I guess..." I said, and looked around nervously.

"He won't be coming." The blond said, his voice sounding somewhat irritated. I looked at him. I couldn't tell, did this surprise me... or not really? "You can't blame him."

"I know." I said, looking away. I wasn't upset that Naruto was the only one that came to the airport; he, Sai and my brother were the only ones that actually knew I was leaving. I didn't want some big, teary farewell to start with, I knew Sai wouldn't be able to make it since he and Naruto were leaving tomorrow, but Itachi... well, it was like Naruto said, I couldn't blame him for not coming. I half expected him to do just that actually. "Still..."

"Still why does it hurt so much?" Naruto asked, arching his brow. He couldn't make it more obvious that he didn't agree with my decision in the slightest, seriously. "Maybe because you're doing the wrong thing, Sasuke? Maybe that's what your heart is telling you?"

"Tch, don't be ridiculous..." I said, in a not very convincing tone.

"Sasuke..." Naruto sighed with resignation. "What was the thing you wanted to do before Itachi told you to go?"

"I don't know." I said shortly.

"Oh, I think you know damn well." Naruto said, stepping closer and putting one hand on my shoulder. "And I think that was the right solution."

"Then why didn't he tell me to stay instead of encouraging to go?" I snapped angrily at the blond, frowning at him. "Why didn't he say that he wanted to keep me with him?"

"Do you even hear yourself, Sasuke? Are you doing this because you want to or just because you're angry at him for letting you go?" Naruto said, shaking me lightly. "Itachi said it because he really loves you, because he puts your happiness before his! That's what it is all about Sasuke! Loving someone more than yourself and being able to let them go!"

"Naruto..." I said, completely stunned at my friend's words. I'd never thought about it like that...

"It's not too late to go back." He said quietly but firmly, his blue eyes concentrated. I hesitated for a moment...

"No." I said finally, turning my eyes away and gritting my teeth. The blond let go of my arms.

"Whatever Sasuke." He said, sounding hurt. "Just remember, when you're on top, you're alone. Just what else are you going to sacrifice, Sasuke? You should be careful with that. Because you will wake up one day having absolutely nothing and then you will ask yourself if it was really worth it... and when you come to conclusion that no, it wasn't worth it, it will be already too late to do anything."

After that we stood in silence, Naruto watching me sadly, I, glancing nowhere in particular, not really wanting to think about his words. Finally the voice announced that it was time for me to head to the plane. I was somehow relieved to hear that, I didn't know how long I was going to be able to stand there like that.

"I guess I should be going." I said, and took one step, before Naruto grabbed my arm abruptly and pulled me into a tight hug.

"Where do you think you're going, teme? Say a proper goodbye at least." He said, pushing his face into my neck and I could tell he was crying. Smiling slightly, I hugged him back.

"Sorry dobe." I said, stroking his back gently. "Take care, you deserve the best... and thank you."

"Heh, teme..." Naruto said, moving away from me a little, and wiping his cheeks from the tears. "Thanks and... same to you. Remember you have a place to come back to."

"Yeah..." I said, before leaning down and kissing his cheek chastely. "Goodbye."

"Sasuke!" Naruto called after me, just when I was crossing the yellow line. I turned around and looked at him questioningly. "It's not a goodbye! It's see you soon!"

I laughed lightly while shaking my head, as the blond cracked a huge grin through his tears, waving enthusiastically.

Yeah, not a goodbye... somehow, deep down, I really wanted it to be true.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**(6 months later)**

I climbed up the stairs to my small apartment slowly. God was this country freakin _hot_... not that it wasn't to be expected, it's midsummer right now and it was Italy after all.

These six months I've been here have passed irritatingly slowly and really fast at the same time. I had tons of work, but not that I was complaining, it was really something and I didn't mind working from dawn to dusk. The problem started when I came to the empty apartment in the evening after it. It was the worst... I always started to think about what I had done, was it right or wrong and how was Itachi and everyone else doing. Of course it wasn't like I didn't contact them, sure I did, mostly Naruto though. He always gave me the full play-by-play of what happened during the time we didn't talk. Sure I called Itachi a few times as well, but whenever we started to talk, it was some random stuff. It was like neither of us wanted to mention anything serious, because the other would brake down immediately.

The worst thing was that because we didn't say a goodbye to each other, I felt like I left something unfinished. Sure we couldn't be considered a couple anymore, but still... still, we were brothers all the same.

"God, I need to invest in some air condition..." I grunted to myself as I finally came to stand in front of my door and started to look for the keys in my bag.

"So you don't have it in your apartment? God, I thought I'd be able to cool down in there a little..."

"No such luck—" I said, before stopping abruptly. Wait, who was I talking too; there was no one here beside me. Turning my head to the side slowly, I saw a dark, tall figure sitting by the wall on the staircase, waving a newspaper near his face.

"Not happy to see me?" Itachi asked, arching his brow and smirking at my completely shocked face.

"W-when..." I said, my eyes wide as I looked at my brother, sitting there casually.

"Just a few hours ago."

"How—"

"By plane, of course."

"Why..." I said finally, frowning slightly. My brother's sneaky face was dropped immediately.

"Because I needed to see you." He said, his voice completely serious. I observed him silently. God, what was this feeling in my stomach of... utter _happiness_? That was so weird, just one glance at him sitting there not far away from me made me want to jump him immediately. Here, I started to think that I was somehow getting over him... but then again, maybe I just talked myself into believing that.

"Come inside..." I said in a quiet voice, not really knowing what to do. This urge to just grab and kiss him right there on the spot was simply enormous... but how could I try something like that after everything I've done? Plus he said he needed to see me... what if he wanted to tell me something? Like that he met someone and was getting married? Oh God, now that was one hell of a frightening thought... I felt a sudden panic rising inside, what if that was the issue? Maybe I really shouldn't have left and listened to Naruto instead...

"Sasuke?" My brother asked, looking at me weirdly. I realized that I was standing in the doorway, blocking the passage and hyperventilating.

"Oh... sorry..." I said, moving aside quickly and letting him in. When we made it inside, Itachi sat on the couch in the living room heavily while I went to the kitchen to grab something cold to drink.

"Here." I said, handing him the glass and sitting close beside him, but not so close as to let our bodies touch.

"Thanks." He said, taking a sip and looking around with a small smirk. "Nice place."

I looked around and noticed tones of papers, clothes and other stuff on the floor.

"Heh." I laughed shortly running my hand through my hair. "Sorry, I don't really have a time to clean it."

"So busy with your work?" He asked while glancing at me and I nodded. "Then I take it you're satisfied with it."

"Yeah..." I said, all the time being aware that he was looking at me, but not being able to turn my eyes to him. "It's really different from Japan."

"Mhm. Then that's good I guess..." He said quietly, his voice full of wonder. That's how our talks always went, ever since I left. God, was it _awkward_... and this twisting feeling in my stomach didn't help my case either.

I don't know how long we sat in silence like that, but the feeling of my brother's fingers moving gently and uncertainly along my cheek made me finally look at him.

"Sasuke..." Itachi said quietly, gazing straight at me with eyes full of care and...happiness.

I swallowed nervously at that, my breathing quickening. I didn't have the slightest clue as to what was going on, but I didn't move from my spot as well. I just let him do whatever the hell he wanted, since, _damn it_, it felt so fucking _good_ like absolutely nothing in these last six months.

Receiving no protest from me whatsoever, Itachi shifted in his place, slowly leaning forward without breaking eye contact even for a second. When he was just a few millimetres from me he stopped, but didn't cease to stroke my cheek.

I looked straight into his eyes, debating with myself quickly. If I were to do it, it was going to hurt like hell again when left... but even this thought didn't seem too convincing in _this_ situation...

Lifting my hand, I slipped my fingers into his hair and let my eyes fall closed, as I brought our lips together without further delay. Itachi, even if a little uncertain at first, immediately started to suck at my lower lip asking... no, _begging_ for entry.

Opening my mouth I let him slip his tongue inside and shifted in my place as well, so now I was partially sitting on top of him with my legs on each side of his waist, I didn't even notice when I lost my shirt along with my trousers, the kiss was _that_ passionate.

"Mhm... wait..." I murmured, pushing Itachi away a little. He was currently sitting on top of me with, also with no shirt and trousers.

"What's wrong?" He asked while frowning, his voice worried. "You have someone?"

"What?" I asked shocked, looking at him weirdly. Then I laughed shortly. Believe it or not but I couldn't bring myself to have sex with anyone during the last few months. Yeah, I actually lasted six months without sex whatsoever and that's something for a person who used to have it a few times a week... "No, that's not it."

"Then what? Sasuke, if you don't want to, just say so..." He said, his expression softening.

"No, it's just... didn't you say you needed to see me? Like, to say something?" I asked, still slightly confused by the situation I was currently in.

"No, I just wanted to see you, that's what I meant." My brother said, smiling lightly and leaning down to kiss my lips chastely. "I missed you so much."

"So you aren't getting married or anything of that sort? Thank God." I said more to myself then to Itachi, but he laughed all the same.

"What?" He asked looking at me weirdly and chuckling softly. "Where did that come from?"

"Well, when you said you _needed _to see me I felt like you had something important to tell me." I said and looked at his smiling face. Somehow, it felt like I never left, this situation right now. Like everything was perfectly alright between us...

"Heh, so you _do_ care after all." Itachi said playfully and I scoffed, hitting his shoulder lightly.

"Of course I care, I love you—" I finished abruptly. Looking away, I could literally feel the mood going down hill. "Sorry... I shouldn't really say something like that after everything that happened..." I added in a whisper and waited for some kind of reaction from my brother, still not looking at him. Finally I felt his forehead on my shoulder and his hot breath against my skin.

"Do you?" Itachi asked, his voice weirdly restricted, almost like he was holding something back.

"Itachi..." I said, starting to feel my throat tightening.

"Just answer _sincerely_." He said in an almost pleading tone. I thought about it for a moment. Not about how I felt of course, but whether I should tell him the truth or not. "_Please_."

"I do." I said finally, and I could tell he was able to recognize that I was being honest with him. Moving away, Itachi looked at me directly, bringing one of his hands and moving his fingers along my cheek.

"I love you too." He said, his voice full of...well, just that – love. In that moment I realized that I couldn't take it anymore. How could I have done what I did? Sure the work and people here were okay, but when I saw Itachi earlier today I suddenly felt like some big, empty hole inside me had been filled. I didn't completely realize it was there before, but now I know it perfectly well.

"I'm so sorry." I said, covering my face with my hands. "I shouldn't have left... God, how could I leave you, you're the most important thing in my life..."

"Sasuke, calm down, it's okay." He said in a soft, patient voice, prying my hands away from my face and wiping the tears away.

"How can you say it's okay? Nothing's okay!" I said, sitting up and making Itachi do the same. "I did something like this to you and now... now you're gonna leave again and nothing will be fine anymore!"

We looked at each other in silence, both of us shocked at my reaction. Before I could even consider what to do next, my brother smiled, but one of those sneaky smiles of his.

"Sasuke..." Itachi started, shaking his head. "Just when exactly did I say anything about going back?"

My mouth fell open at that. I blinked a few times as my brother smirked even wider and scooted closer, lifting his hand and starting to play with my hair.

"You're not..." I said, and suddenly felt like it was a situation from earlier today all over again.

"No, unless you really want me to." He said, leaning forward and kissing my forehead lightly.

"But your bag..."

"I only took that much since I didn't know how you'd react. Don't worry, Deidara's ready to send everything I'll need." Itachi said, this time kissing my cheek.

"Job?" I asked shortly this time.

"I quit, actually two months ago." He said and I frowned at this. Itachi sighed. "I just couldn't take it anymore. Without you it seemed so much harder all of sudden... see what you do to me?"

"Itachi..." Great, now I felt guilty. Not only was it me who left, but now Itachi wanted to repair everything himself.

"No, don't start to feel guilty on me." My brother said, smile returning on his lips. "I shouldn't have let you go to begin with... and I don't mean it like not letting you go, I mean it like going with you. Sure nothing waited for me here... but there was nothing for me in Japan as well, beside you of course."

"You know, even though you said not to feel guilty, your words only made me feel like a bigger and bigger jerk all of sudden." I said, putting my forehead to his.

"Well, okay, I'll admit it if it's gonna make you feel better. You _did_ act like an asshole, leaving me behind and choosing your career." He said and I shot him a glare, even despite knowing that he was right.

"Thanks." I said sarcastically and he just smirked.

"No problem." He said, kissing me on the lips softly, before putting his forehead to mine once again. "But you know, if you were able to wait five years for me then I could wait six months."

"_Not funny_." I said, scowling at him.

"What I'm saying is we all make mistakes." Itachi said, this time his voice completely serious, but not unpleasant. We observed each other in silence. There was nothing more to say, really... I was sorry, he was sorry. I didn't want him to leave ever again and so did he. "I guess I'll have to start to learn Italian now."

I laughed at that. Yeah it was alright now.

"Don't worry, it's fairly easy." I said smiling at my brother. It was alright because we were together.

"Well, I certainly do hope so, knowing you we won't stay here for long as well." He said while smirking playfully and I pouted at him, but leaned to kiss him a second later.

We were headed in a new direction now. Somewhere where the both of us were able to go.

**/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\/\**

**A/N:** ...I KNOW! It took me forever XD I'm SORRY, but I just couldn't bring myself to write it! GOMENEEEEE!!!!

Well, it's done now, thankfully XD I hope you enjoyed it, that it wasn't too cheesy and so on...

Anyway, since it's the last chapter I wanted to **thank my beta**** for all the editing** she did for me! THANK YOU XD And of course, to **all my reviewers**! If it wasn't for you, I'd probably drop this, or any other project for that matter, in the middle or something XD **LOV YA!**


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